


Fallen Leaves

by MisatosPenPen



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-15
Updated: 2015-07-15
Packaged: 2018-04-09 11:12:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 50,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4346396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MisatosPenPen/pseuds/MisatosPenPen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kakashi is forced to flee Konoha w/ his lover Itachi. When Itachi dies, Kakashi goes to Sasuke, but not to return him to Konoha and they become avenging demons. And Itachi may not be completely gone. Kakashi/Itachi KakashixSasuke Anal,Angst,Death,M/M,Oral,Violence,WIP,Yaoi, Bloodplay</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Exile

The cell was dark and smelled of disuse and decay, but was relatively clean. The single occupant sat in the corner staring up at the featureless ceiling. He had been stripped of his vest and weapons, but they left him his mask and headband.   
  
“Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura said coming up to the bars. “Lady Tsunade wants to see you now.”  
  
Sakura led him to her master. Tsunade dismissed her.  
  
“Kakashi, you of all people . . . After what he did to your own student. To betray us with him.”  
  
“Frankly, Lady Hokage, I never did anything to betray the village. My sins are those of omission; I just never told anyone that Itachi was here. I never told him anything and he never did anything while here to harm the village.”  
  
“Nevertheless, it was your duty to kill him, capture him, or at least report on him to us.”  
  
“I love him. I will not betray him. But I never betrayed the village or Sasuke to him.”  
  
“You were to be the next one tapped for Hokage.”  
  
“I never wanted to be Hokage.”  
  
“I have no choice. The elders and I have sentenced you to death. It won’t be public; too many people in this village love and respect you.”  
  
“Very well. Did Itachi get away?”  
  
“He did. Or he’d be executed right next to you.”  
  
“His life is a treasure purchased at an easy price.”  
  
“I’m sorry, Kakashi.”  
  
\-----  
  
Naruto and Sakura were sent off on a mission with Sai and Yamato to keep them from knowing what was about to happen. Team Gai was also sent out. Anyone who might interfere if they got a hint of Kakashi’s predicament were sent out on missions. Sakura knew Kakashi was in trouble, but not that he was under the threat of death.  
  
The top of the Hokage building was the highest point beside the Hokage monument and was out of the village’s sight. Kakashi couldn’t help looking up at the face of his sensei. If he could see where his student ended up . . . The third had Orochimaru, Kakashi had Sasuke, and the Forth now had Kakashi. But he had no regrets. Anything for Itachi. Kakashi didn’t believe Itachi was innocent, but he loved him too much to care.  
  
At least he was being allowed to keep his mask.  
  
Kakashi shut his eyes and waited for death to come.  
  
And come it did.  
  
Suddenly there was an explosion of fire that leapt up into the sky and everyone’s eyes were naturally directed toward the disturbance. Their eyes flew up, but then back down to the source before they could contemplate who had caused the giant fireball. Arrayed in a line were several clones of Itachi. They all found the eyes of everyone they could, pulling them into his Sharingan. It was not, however, the Mangekyô. The clones disappeared and those who were not hypnotized attacked. Itachi cut them down ruthlessly. Itachi came forward cautiously into the silence, prepared for anyone playing possum. One shinobi attacked, but he was ready and put the man down. He walked up to Kakashi, the only one he hadn’t tried to hypnotize.  
  
“I’m so sorry, Kakashi,” he said. He released his lover. “You have no choice now, come with me.”  
  
“As you say.” Kakashi followed Itachi out of the village.   
  
They didn’t stop until they were nearly to the border of the fire country. Kakashi had noticed Itachi gasping at times, but figured it was just from using his Sharingan on so many people at once then fleeing.  
  
Itachi stopped and turned to Kakashi. He looked ill, paler than usual, sweating, his eyes bright in more of a fevered way.  
  
“I’m sorry Kakashi,” he said. “It was my recklessness that led to this. I’m sorry.”  
  
“Don’t worry about it.” Kakashi came up and embraced him. “You did come back and save my life. And while weakened; you don’t look well. I appreciate your help.”  
  
“I’m sorry for a lot of things. I just want you to know how much I love you.”  
  
“I know it. You’re the only one I ever loved.”  
  
“I’m sorry.”  
  
“For what?”  
  
Itachi bent a little, brought up a hand, and coughed so hard it sounded as if he were dislodging his lungs.  
  
“Itachi, you need to find a doctor.”  
  
“No.” He straightened, pulling from Kakashi’s arms. There was a trail of blood leading from the corner of his mouth. “I know nothing can be done.”  
  
“Itachi?”  
  
“I’m sorry. I’m dying. Do one thing for me? Take my eyes.” He fished two vials out of his pocket with his clean hand. “Give them to Sasuke. Remember what I said about Madara and Izuna? Give him my eyes.”  
  
“You can’t die.”  
  
Itachi smiled. “Part of me wishes that was the case.” He was overcome by another bout of coughing. He nearly collapsed, but Kakashi grabbed him and held him to him. “I’m only twenty-one, but I feel like I’ve lived three lifetimes. Tell Sasuke I’m sorry we couldn’t have our little fight to the death. Tell him he—” The drops of blood were becoming gouts. Itachi’s breathing became more labored. “Save him from himself, Kakashi. I wish that if you had to be banished from Konoha it could have been when we could be together, at least for a time. Find Sasuke. I love you.”  
  
Itachi slumped.  
  
“Itachi!” Itachi just slumped more, finally going completely limp in Kakashi’s arms. “Itachi!” But his lover was dead. Kakashi fell to his knees, cradling the body against him.  
  
The last time Kakashi remembered weeping was when Obito died. The Uchiha seemed to be the only ones who had that kind of power over him. He wept into Itachi long raven hair for several minutes, unable to release him, but Kakashi knew he had to harvest Itachi’s eyes quickly. He performed the gruesome task as he remembered Rin doing so many years before. Afterward, he cut off a lock of his lover’s hair, took his scored headband, his necklace, and all his weapons, then used the giant fireball jutsu to cremate the body. He let the wind take the ashes.   
  
Kakashi tossed his own headband away and tied Itachi’s with its slash through the leaf symbol over his forehead and eye. He could never return to Konoha and when he thought of his village, the village he had been loyal to and served for so long, he felt nothing but a tiny flame of anger. They were dead to him; they were all dead to him. It wasn’t that they had been prepared to execute him or hunted his lover, everything was dead to him. There was no life now that Itachi was dead. The entire world was dead to him. Except Sasuke. He had to find Sasuke.


	2. The Okoshi Inn

Sasuke fell asleep in their room Okoshi Inn while subduing Juugo. Now Karin was out buying supplies. Juugo stared out the window while Suigetsu sat at Sasuke’s side. Kakashi’s hounds approached. Karin sensed them and Kakashi, but decided they couldn’t be looking for Sasuke. Still only one shinobi . . . even if those animals were with him, it was suspicious. Probably just a rouge shinobi like them. She let her mind wonder back to the new perfume she just purchased and how she would seduce Sasuke.   
  
\-----  
  
Pakkun met Kakashi. “We found him. He’s in a village up ahead.”  
  
“Thanks, Pakkun.”  
  
“Are you sure about this?” Pakkun motioned to the scarred headband on Kakashi’s forehead.  
  
“I’m under a death sentence if I go back. I’ll send the contract to Sakura or Naruto if you don’t want to be associated with me anymore.”  
  
“We dogs are loyal. We’re with you until the death.”  
  
“Thank you. If Sasuke doesn’t accept my help, I’ll have to flee. I’d appreciate your company.”  
  
“We won’t abandon you. This way.”  
  
\-----  
  
When Karin returned, she thrusts the bags into Suigetsu’s arms, except her own things, and fawned over Sasuke. But he was still asleep. She checked on the approaching chakra again. It was closer, coming here. Only one animal.   
  
“Sasuke!” Sasuke opened his eyes, the other two started, and the birds around Juugo flew off. “There’s a shinobi approaching with one animal, probably a summon. What should we do?”  
  
“Only one?”  
  
“Yes. He’ll be here soon.”  
  
“The Akatsuki move in groups of two, always. Konoha and the other villages in groups of three or four. One shinobi is strange. Are you sure there are no others?”  
  
“Just the animal.”  
  
“Can you tell what kind?”  
  
She concentrated. “Small. Maybe a dog or cat. It’s leading the shinobi.”  
  
“Could it be a bird?”  
  
“No. The chakra smells of little of . . . dog, I think.”  
  
“Were there others before?”  
  
“Several.”  
  
“Kakashi.” But why is he alone? “If it’s just him, we’ll wait here to meet him. Clear away from the window. He never did like the concept of doors.”  
  
Sasuke dressed, removed the bedroll and sat against the wall, his sword in hand, the others to either side.  
  
Through the open window, Sasuke saw Kakashi land on the roof opposite, Pakkun on his shoulder. He and Kakashi locked eyes. Pakkun disappeared. A moment later, Kakashi was perched on the windowsill. Sasuke was surprised when Kakashi didn’t raise a hand and greet him with a cheery ‘Yo!’ Then he noticed the slash through the leaf symbol. This was probably the first time any of his team ever saw emotion escape to Sasuke’s face as his eyes widened.  
  
“Akatsuki?”  
  
“No. I’m under the sentence of death in Konoha.”  
  
“A missing-nin, huh? I never expected that of you, Kakashi.”  
  
“I wish I could say the same about you, Sasuke. But I knew I’d lose you to your lust for revenge.”  
  
“Is this why you weren’t with the others when they came to find me last time?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“If you have no attachments to Konoha, you aren’t here to take me back.”  
  
“No, I’m here to join you.”  
  
That rocked the other three back, but Sasuke had already begun to suspect it.   
  
“As you see, I already have a complete team.”  
  
“With the purpose of killing Itachi?” Sasuke didn’t answer, but his glare was answer enough. “Then you should know, Itachi is already dead.”  
  
Sasuke was too taken aback by the words, he didn’t note the sorrowful tone.  
  
“How?”  
  
“Disease. I was there. He asked me to give you this.” Kakashi raised the two veils wrapped in a cloth. “You know the dangers of the Mangyou Sharingan?”  
  
“Enlighten me.”  
  
“The user will go blind. The only others to ever have awakened the Mangekyô were another pair of brothers, Madara and Izuna. Madara went blind and stole his brother’s eyes, then his powers and vision became permanent. Itachi asked me to deliver his eyes to you. You are the last Uchiha now.”  
  
“Leave us,” he ordered his team. They hesitantly obeyed and Kakashi slipped into the room. “How is it you were there at his death?”  
  
Kakashi knew Sasuke could see through deception, especially with his Sharingan activated. He knew the truth was his only option. “Your brother and I were lovers.” Sasuke’s eyes not only widened, but his back went ramrod straight. “And we were before he slaughtered your clan. I didn’t see him again until he arrived in the village just after the Third’s death. It was about a week after you left and Naruto left with Jiraiya that he came to me. He was angry that I had lost you to Orochimaru. He was an emotional mess, berating me one moment, blaming himself the next. He knew Orochimaru would target you, but he didn’t think you would go to him voluntarily. Or that I would lose you. He’d made me promise before the slaughter that I would be the one to train you. He entrusted you to me. He was so distraught I could have killed him. I should have killed him. But I still loved him. He realized that I did nothing to attack him or call for help and he realized why. We both admitted we were still in love with each other. We met whenever we could get away. As the years went by, he grew more bold, coming to my home rather than meeting me outside the village. We were finally caught a few days ago. I actually had to push him out the window to get him to flee while I held ANBU off. I was captured and sentenced to death. But Itachi came back and rescued me. He was already dying, but he never told me. He died in my arms. The world is dead to me now. I will help you, follow you, no matter what.”  
  
Sasuke absorbed all this calmly, though inwardly his emotions were swirling from one end of the spectrum to the other. He finally found his voice. “Even if I were to order you to help me destroy Konoha?”  
  
“As I said, they are all dead to me. I will kill anyone you order me to.”  
  
“If Itachi is dead . . .” Sasuke couldn’t finish that thought. Itachi dead, then it was all for nothing. What is left?  
  
“You have no goal anymore,” Kakashi finished. “That doesn’t matter to me. I will protect and serve you. Your brother saved my life and I will protect yours. There’s nothing else left for me.”  
  
“Ah.” Sasuke stared at the floor for a minute. “Bring them back in.”  
  
Kakashi obeyed without hesitation.  
  
“With Itachi dead, Hebi no longer has a purpose. You’re free to go or stay.” They were all distressed at their own levels, Suigetsu being the most distressed.  
  
“I’m going after Samehada; I joined you to get it!”  
  
“No one is stopping you.”  
  
“Come with me.”  
  
“Ha! You need Sasuke’s help to kill Kisame, huh?” Karin accused.  
  
“Alright,” Sasuke said before Suigetsu could retort. “We’ll go after Akatsuki. We’ll start with Itachi’s partner.”


	3. Mangekyô

Sasuke was nearly healed and asked his team to allow him to wonder out alone. Karin conceded knowing she could keep watch on him with her sensor ability. Sasuke wondered into the woods.  
  
Despite how much Sasuke had railed against his brother, vowing revenge and plotting his death, Itachi’s death had rattled him. He was grieving. The kind loving brother he remembered was truly dead. And what did Kakashi’s words mean? Itachi was furious he’d gone to Orochimaru? Did Itachi still care for him?   
  
Filled with conflicting emotions and confusion, Sasuke broke down. His entire family, every last one of them, was dead. Sasuke should have felt some relief from his brother’s death, his revenge over, but it left him empty and unbearably sad.  
  
The death of Itachi brought about something not even the death of his clan could not. He felt a searing pain in his head, in his eyes. His grief had driven him to the ground, now the pain made him writhe.   
  
Karin saw Sasuke’s chakra going wild. “Something’s wrong.”  
  
Kakashi was the first out the window and headed in the direction Karin had been facing, assuming that was the direction Sasuke had gone. He found Sasuke clutching his head, but no longer writhing.  
  
“Sasuke!”  
  
Sasuke looked up and Kakashi stopped, tried to back up away from him, and tripped.  
  
“Your eyes,” Kakashi said.  
  
Sasuke looked around. There was something different. “What is it?”  
  
“It must be the Mangekyô. Yours is different from Itachi’s.”  
  
The others arrived behind Kakashi. The overlapping elliptical star and the blood seeping down his cheeks stopped them. Sasuke forced his Sharingan to retreat.   
  
“Truly being the last of your clan must have brought out your Mangekyô,” Kakashi said. “It might be best to replace your eyes soon.”  
  
“The rest of you go back; Kakashi stay.” The other three hesitantly obeyed. Kakashi remained crouched where he was. Sasuke felt a thrill of power at the fact he had complete authority over his former sensei. It saddened him however; like seeing a wild wolf suddenly tamed.  
  
“What were Itachi’s feelings for me?”  
  
“Hard to say. He didn’t hate you. I got the feeling he cared about what happened to you. He was . . . I don’t understand him, I never did.”  
  
“Neither did I. I feel safe here. We’ll do the surgery and leave once I recover and go after Kisame.”  
  
\-----  
  
Karin had training in medical ninjutsu from the master, Kabuto. Sasuke wasn’t sure who was better, Kabuto or Tsunade. She performed the procedure to replace Sasuke’s eyes with his brother’s. They stayed in the inn while Sasuke recovered. Kakashi was never more than two yards from Sasuke the entire time. Suigetsu eyed Kakashi skeptically, but Kakashi didn’t seem to care. Karin’s attention was on Sasuke, as was Juugo’s, but whereas she was in love with him, Juugo looked to Sasuke like an obedient dog.   
  
Sasuke was no less imperious while blind, but he was more so in manner than in instructions at the moment. He hardly spoke at all. One night when only he and Kakashi were awake, Sasuke told him, “I can feel Itachi’s power.”  
  
“I know. I can feel it. You’re giving off an aura very much like Itachi’s in addition to your own.”  
  
“I guess you would know.”  
  
“I fought him twice and I spent some time with him,” Kakashi understated.  
  
“Was he more powerful than you?”  
  
“By several magnitudes.”  
  
Sasuke smiled for the first time since Kakashi arrived. “I don’t think I could lose, even to you, with these eyes.”  
  
Sasuke couldn’t see how much that hurt Kakashi, to have Sasuke speak about Itachi’s eyes like that, as if Itachi was nothing, just powerful raw materials. He swallowed his anger and remained still.


	4. Akatsuki

Once Sasuke’s eyes were uncovered, they were on the move.  
  
Karin was quickly able to identify the ungodly chakra with a little help from Juugo’s birds.   
  
Kisame found himself surrounded.   
  
“So you’re Itachi’s little brother.” He scanned the others. “Little Suigetsu. I was warned you were traveling with Itachi’s brother.” He saw Kakashi, then his Sharingan, then he recognized the headband. “You’re the one, aren’t you? You finally killed him, huh?”  
  
“I didn’t kill him. But we will kill you.”  
  
“You’ll try. I’ll apologize to Itachi after I kill you and his brother.”  
  
For Sasuke, things moved in flashes: water, sharks, Kakashi’s Water Dragon Bullet, Suigetsu merging with the water, Juugo transforming . . . Sasuke activated his Mangekyô. Kisame sensed it, felt the familiar feeling and whirled around, relieved his partner was alive and coming to help him. He met Sasuke’s eyes, still under the illusion created by his own mind that it was Itachi. Then he was trapped in those eyes. Suigetsu chopped him in half.   
  
Kisame’s last word was his partner’s name.  
  
“That was surprisingly easy,” Suigetsu commented.   
  
“He thought I was Itachi and met my eyes. Careless.”  
  
He looked down at the halved corpse and clutched his head and fell to his knees. “Damn you, Kisame,” he hissed in a deeper voice, but still his own. “I told you not to lose focus because of me.”  
  
“Sasuke!” Kakashi yelled.  
  
Sasuke looked up, his eyes wild and the Mangekyô faded to his normal black.   
  
“You alright?”  
  
Sasuke took a moment to orient himself. “Yeah.”  
  
“Let’s get out of here and make camp.”  
  
“Ah.”  
  
\-----  
  
Kakashi did not speak to his new teammates at all. He didn’t want to talk with Sasuke about his strange behavior in front of these others, so he flew through the trees silently, but stayed as close as he dared to the young Uchiha.   
  
He, Juugo, and Sasuke said nothing while Suigetsu and Karin argued constantly. And Sasuke let them. It was too silent when they stopped. As long as Juugo didn’t lose control, Sasuke stopped caring. Kakashi was good at ignoring them having had to deal with Naruto, Sakura, and Gai. Their silence was encouraging the other two, but there were times Suigetsu got meditative with a dark smirk and Karin stared at Sasuke.   
  
They made camp at nightfall, running as far as they could before dark, just to put some distance between them and the corpse. Juugo gathered the wood and Sasuke started the fire. Karin and Suigetsu were arguing about something Sasuke didn’t even bother to follow. He and the other two were eating in silence.   
  
Sasuke tossed the last bone from dinner into the fire and watched it sizzle. He was still reeling from Itachi’s death. He agreed to help Suigetsu because he didn’t know what to do himself. Though he was still the leader of this group, he had lost direction and was bowing to desires of his subordinates. But now, he had no idea what to do.  
  
No one heard anything or saw anything until Sasuke leaped up and disappeared. Karin and Suigetsu stopped arguing and looked at the empty place at the fire. Kakashi had raised Itachi’s headband and looked at the empty air then looked around. Sasuke was gone.   
  
“Sasuke?” Suigetsu said.  
  
Karin closed her eyes and searched for his chakra. Nothing. “He’s gone. He’s no where around here.”  
  
“A space-time jutsu,” Kakashi said. “Whoever kidnapped him is very skilled.”  
  
“Kidnapped?” Juugo asked.  
  
“Konoha wants him back and some of them want him dead. He’s also in every village’s bingo book. He’s also an amazingly powerful shinobi; it would be a boon to any village to seduce him to join them.”  
  
“You think he’s alive?” Karin asked.  
  
“I think whoever took him, wants him alive. He grabbed him with no warning; Sasuke barely had time to react at all. If they wanted him dead, they could have killed him just as, if not more, easily as taking him.”  
  
“What should we do?” Suigetsu asked.  
  
“I think all we can do is wait here and hope he’s returned or comes back on his own.”  
  
\-----  
  
They waited for two days. Kakashi sent out his hounds, but they found nothing of Sasuke. Pakkun did smell a foreign scent and found the same scent where Kisame died. And Kisame’s body was gone.   
  
“Whoever took Sasuke also took Kisame’s body,” Kakashi said. “Like an ANBU or something, cleaning up.”  
  
“If it’s Kisame’s ally, then they would kill Sasuke, wouldn’t they?” Karin asked.  
  
“Not necessarily. This is Akatsuki we’re talking about. They’ve lost Itachi and Kisame within a week. They may be trying to recruit him, by force or seduction.”  
  
Karin shivered at Kakashi’s choice of words.  
  
They waited. On the second night they sat around the fire, silent, each trying to figure out what they should do to find Sasuke.  
  
Suddenly Sasuke appeared right where he disappeared from. He didn’t seem perturbed at all and sat down as if nothing happened.  
  
“Sasuke?” Suigetsu asked.  
  
“Akatsuki wants us to join them.”  
  
Kakashi couldn’t help but huff with wry humor. “Did you agree?” Sure that Sasuke would never have agreed.  
  
“I did.”  
  
All three of them started.  
  
“They must have been very persuasive.”  
  
“He told me about my brother.” He felt Kakashi’s gaze. Sasuke wouldn’t meet it. “I’ll explain tomorrow. I need to sleep.”  
  
\-----  
  
Sasuke told them everything Madara had told him, his own doubts, the reason he believed him, and his new plans. First, the Hachibi, then destroy Konoha.   
  
At the last, he looked at Kakashi. He couldn’t read him.   
  
“Kakashi?”  
  
“I know you want to kill Danzo, Homura, and Koharu, but please Sasuke,” Sasuke was sure he was about to request the rest of the village be spared, “allow me to kill at least one of them.”  
  
Sasuke felt his cheek tighten into a smile.  
  
\-----  
  
The two former Konoha shinobi went off together that afternoon. The others let them go, understanding that deciding to attack their own village must be emotionally trying. Sasuke kept his back to Kakashi.  
  
“I thought you’d try to talk me out of it.”  
  
“I’m not here to tell you what to do.”  
  
“I do value your input. You were one of the greatest shinobi of our village, I don’t need a talented lackey, I need someone I can truly rely on and trust.”  
  
“I have no objections.”  
  
“You loved my brother that much? To completely disregard the loyalty you held for your entire life?”  
  
“You asked me when I first came to you if I would even help you destroy Konoha; I said I would. I knew you weren’t serious. But my answer has not changed, especially after hearing why Itachi really did it.”  
  
“You don’t think I should continue with my brother’s wishes? He wanted to protect Konoha.”  
  
“Do you?”  
  
“I remember people smiling and laughing and now it seems like scorn. They have their happiness because my clan died, because my brother sacrificed everything. They may be dead to you, but they are alive at the price of my clan’s and my brother’s lives. To hell with them all!”  
  
“I agree. I knew your brother very well. But I can’t agree with his idealism. I want revenge. They took my lover away from me and all the years we could have had together. I loved him. I never loved anyone else in my life. The village also took my father from me with their scorn. And to an extent, even my friends and my sensei. They’ve killed everyone I have ever loved. And for what? The peace, prosperity, and happiness of the village. But what about my peace, my happiness? They took it all away. The more I’ve thought about it after Itachi’s death, the more disillusioned I became. Like you, the happiness of everyone whose peace and happiness I’ve protected seems like they’re smiling at my pain and grief. And I know they will all breathe a sigh of relieve and even rejoice when they learn Itachi is dead. I hate them just for that.”  
  
“It was Madara who made the Kyuubi attack Konoha, he’s the reason the Forth died. Are you still alright with this?”  
  
“Quite frankly, I will help you destroy Konoha and if I survive, I will kill Madara next.”  
  
“You and I seem to be of one mind on this. But you realize, this means betraying Naruto. Madara assures me he and the other members of Akatsuki will take care of him, but we are still doing nothing to help him, abandoning him to his fate. Are you alright with that?”  
  
That gave Kakashi some pause. Naruto and Sakura. Naruto . . . Minato’s son. Could he condone his sensei’s son’s death? His own student?  
  
“I will not kill him, nor will I capture him. Come what may, but I will not save him.”  
  
“My feelings as well. Let Akatsuki do what they will, Naruto is not our responsibility.”  
  
Sasuke finally turned to look at Kakashi. His eyes were burning with his Sharingan. At first, it didn’t bother Kakashi, but then rage filled those eyes as they looked at him.  
  
Sasuke’s eyes were focused on the headband on Kakashi’s head. He grew furious, pounced, and snatched it off Kakashi’s head.   
  
“How could you?!” Sasuke accused. His voice was deeper. “I told you what they’re like?! How could you join Akatsuki?!”  
  
“Sasuke, get a hold of yourself! You’re the one who joined Akatsuki.”  
  
Sasuke looked confused for a moment. “What? I . . .”  
  
“Sasuke, what’s happening to you? You freaked out after we killed Kisame as well.”  
  
“Kisame was a fool to be distracted by me. I told him not to worry about me, just do his job. It’s not my fault he died. I told him not to fall in love with me.”  
  
“Sasuke!”   
  
The Sharingan faded from Sasuke’s eyes and they looked confused again.  
  
“What are you talking about?”  
  
“I . . . I don’t know.”  
  
“Can you see Itachi’s memories?”  
  
“I don’t know. I feel like I’m being taken over at times. It’s mostly rage and irritation.”  
  
“Strong emotions. There must be some of Itachi’s stronger emotions in the chakra in your eyes.” Kakashi’s heart felt heavy. If Itachi’s anger and irritation could manifest, could something else? What if he could have Itachi back? He tried to suppress his own desire for his dead lover.  
  
“I’ll try to suppress it. I can’t afford to be distracted like that. Like Kisame was.”


	5. Awakening

Sasuke’s team stayed at few inns as they moved across the continent to the Land of Lightning. Their choice of an inn tonight was dictated by the fact they were in a town on an open plain. There was no cover outside the town so the inn was their only option. Sasuke dictated that he and Kakashi would share a room, Suigetsu and Juugo in another, and Karin, of course, had her own.   
  
Kakashi sat by the window silently looking at the road. This inn stood on the outskirts and had a view of the barren plane and the road they came on from their window in addition to the street below. Sasuke lay on his bedroll, though he was not trying to sleep. He stared at Kakashi.  
  
“If Konoha was on our trail, they would not be seen on the street.”  
  
“Ah,” Kakashi agreed, but he didn’t move. Sasuke noticed his eyes were distant; he wasn’t watching the street.   
  
Earlier in the day, Kakashi bought new clothes. All he had were the clothes on his back when he fled Konoha—and the block—and the things he took from Itachi’s body. Now he wore tight black that seemed to better befit a shinobi. He had given Sasuke all the money he’d found on Itachi’s body but Sasuke had a free hand with his subordinates having pillaged Orochimaru’s hideout.   
  
Sasuke watched him and he didn’t seem to notice. He wore Itachi’s headband and still wore that mask. Sasuke wondered about it like he and the others used to. A flash of memory lit before his eyes: Kakashi without his mask or headband. His left eye was shut, but his right was smoldering with lust. An elegant nose, strong cheekbones, and a licentious mouth that Sasuke somehow associated with senseless pleasure . . . Sasuke’s body arched involuntarily with the memory of pleasure he had never experience.   
  
Kakashi hadn’t noticed his student’s attention or motion; he was still staring out at the window at the dying day.  
  
“Are you just going to sit there and mourn?” Sasuke finally asked.  
  
“I have nothing else to do at the moment.”  
  
Sasuke’s mind was filled with the things they could be doing. He shut his eyes. Graphic memories of looking down into one gray eye as Kakashi deep throated him, looking down at him while he rode him and when he made love to him, and, strangely, the image of a pillow, but that was the one which shot the most pleasure through Sasuke’s body.  
  
When Sasuke opened his eyes again, they were burning with the Sharingan. He let it fade. He stared at Kakashi. He was good looking even when half his face was hidden by the mask. His body was thin, but well toned. Physically, Kakashi was very attractive. He was—well, until recently—unfailingly loyal. He was dedicated to the memory of Sasuke’s beloved brother, had taught Sasuke so much, even his own original technique. Sasuke thought back. Kakashi had become family. He loved him. But he had never thought about a sexual relationship with the older man before.  
  
 _Neither did I,_  a deep voice said inside Sasuke’s head. The voice drifted in and out as if it lacked the strength to speak normally.  _Then one day, he kissed me . . . never felt anything like it . . . a star erupting in my chest . . . not the physical sensation . . . the feeling . . . he loved me . . . that someone cared for_ me _, not just . . . Uchiha prodigy. I wanted to do anything to please him . . . make sure he would never stop loving me. I let him take me . . . I loved it; I loved him. We were friends . . . sempai and kôhai . . . so much closer as lovers. When I left, I regretted most leaving you . . . second . . . leaving Kakashi without a word. . . . he’ll love you . . . loved me. He was devastated when you left . . ._  
  
 _Itachi?_  There was no answer. Sasuke shut his eyes and tried to meditate as he lay there, searching his mind and soul for the source of that voice. He purposely avoided where he had imprisoned Orochimaru.   
  
There was no answer. Well, if it was alright with Itachi . . .  
  
Kakashi was still sitting there. It was dark now, only a streetlamp outside and a lamp near Sasuke provided light. The assault of sexual images had made Sasuke hard. He wanted Kakashi. He wanted to see what Itachi had shown him for himself.  
  
With his left eye covered, Kakashi did not notice Sasuke’s approach. He finally noticed him when Sasuke knelt next to him and immediately grabbed at Kakashi’s mask. Kakashi pulled away, but not before Sasuke’s fingertips touched his cheek.  
  
“What are you doing?”  
  
“Obvious, isn’t it.”  
  
Sasuke tried again. Kakashi caught his wrist this time.   
  
“Why do you hide it?” Sasuke’s face was inches from Kakashi’s. “You’re very handsome.”  
  
“How would you know?”  
  
The question seemed to disturb him. “I’ve . . . seen it.”  
  
Kakashi’s grip on Sasuke’s wrist tightened. “Itachi? Can you see Itachi’s memories? Is he . . .”  
  
Sasuke’s head swam, but Itachi did not come. “I see flashes of memories.”   
  
Kakashi’s grip slackened and Sasuke pulled the mask down and leaned in to kiss him. Kakashi pulled back and put a hand to Sasuke’s chest to restrain him.  
  
“I was always true to your brother, even after . . .” He didn’t want to bring up the slaughter of the Uchiha.   
  
“He’s dead, Kakashi,” he said sadly. “He’s not missing; he’s not coming back. If he is within me, he’s not raising any objections.”  
  
Sasuke moved in slowly and sucked in Kakashi’s top lip. Kakashi did not kiss back. Sasuke disengaged and pressed his cheek to Kakashi’s.  
  
“I love you.” His own words surprised him. But he felt it now that he’d said. He did love Kakashi. He was so like him, knew similar pain, both grieving for the same man. “We are all we have of our home and Itachi. Why not? You love me, don’t you? Did you only come to me because Itachi told you to?”  
  
“No, staying with you was my choice. But I also really had no where else to go.”  
  
Sasuke snaked his arms around Kakashi’s shoulders and collapsed into him. His fingers moved up into the hair on the back of Kakashi’s head.   
  
“We’re all we have left, Kakashi. Especially if we’re going to bring Konoha to its knees and chop off its head.” Sasuke’s voice took on a tremor of rage when he talked about Konoha. “You are all I have left.”  
  
Kakashi put his arms around Sasuke’s waist. “You are all I left too.”  
  
Sasuke’s head drifted down to rest on Kakashi’s shoulder and they shifted to hold each other more securely.   
  
“Please stop looking away at him and look at me,” Sasuke said.   
  
“You always hated him so much; it’s been very hard for you, hasn’t it?”  
  
“I loved him so much that when he betrayed me and said those things to me in the street after he killed our parents, my hate was fed by how much I loved him. Now knowing he didn’t do it to hurt me, but to save me, that he was lying that night . . . It killed me when Madara told me. It only took him an hour to tell me everything. I was gone so long because I nearly lost my mind. I cried for hours. I spent most of the time crying. I want my brother back.”   
  
Itachi may be speaking to him in his mind, but he was dead, he wasn’t really here. And there was no real proff yet that he could really  _speak to_  Itachi. Sasuke began crying now. Kakashi held him tighter. He had held Itachi like this more than once when he was overcome by his burdens and his feelings for Sasuke. But Sasuke was not a thin and slight as Itachi, though he was shorter. But he smelled like Itachi. Not  _exactly_  like Itachi, but enough.   
  
Kakashi petted his soft raven hair. “Looking at you reminded me too much of what I’ve lost: our team, village, my team, and mostly your brother. I love you, but more like a son.”  
  
Sasuke sniffed. “I can live with that for now.”  
  
Kakashi couldn’t help feeling the solidness of Sasuke’s body. Solid and warm. So unlike the ghost of Itachi he was constantly seeing and wanting to reach for. Even if Itachi couldn’t live through Sasuke, Sasuke was  _here._  
  
\-----  
  
Kakashi had deposited Sasuke on his bed and retreated his own. Sasuke woke up disappointingly alone. He pulled the blanket over his shoulders more securely and snuggled deeper into the mattress. He tried to go back to sleep.  
  
 _Sasuke._  The same voice from last night whispered in his mind. Sasuke opened his eyes and looked around. Kakashi was still sleeping on his bed. There was no one else in the room.   
  
 _Sasuke._  The voice said again. Sasuke lay back down and concentrated.  
  
 _Itachi?  
  
I’m here, Sasuke.  
  
How?  
  
. . . knew I was dying . . . tried sealing as much . . . chakra as I could in my eyes. I wasn’t sure if . . . work . . . heard of shinobi . . . able to live on in . . . sealing their chakra in them. It worked, Sasuke.  
  
So, you’ve been possessing me?  
  
In flashes. I can sometimes see and hear what you . . . Sometimes my reactions . . . strong enough to surface. I apologize. I’m still getting used to this kind of existence. I don’t what to do anything to harm you._ His voice was getting stronger and his voice didn’t fail him as much.  
  
 _So, was everything Madara told me the truth?  
  
I can’t read your mind unless . . . open it to me. I should only be able to use your senses and body if you let me . . . don’t know what Madara told you. But I know you don’t hate me anymore. But I knew he would contact you and try to recruit . . ._  
  
Sasuke revealed the memory of Madara explaining the Uchiha history to him as well as what he said about Itachi. It felt like Itachi’s presence was trying to recoil, but Sasuke was certain he would see everything Sasuke wanted to show him. He did not share his plans with him though.  
  
 _I don’t believe Izuna gave up his eyes willingly,_  Itachi said when the memory ceased.  _But yes, everything else is true. I did value your life over the village. I’m so sorry . . . I said to you.  
  
I’ve joined Akatsuki.  
  
What?! You must understand what they are trying to do. I wanted you to return to Konoha and fight Akatsuki.  
  
I will fight it from within. Kakashi and I will pretend to be loyal, as you did, and we will kill Madara and destroy Akatsuki. _  
  
Itachi started speaking in shorter sentences.  _Do be careful. I did it all for you. I will give you all the information I have.  
  
I can let you take over my body?  
  
Yes.   
  
You are more adapt with Mangekyô. I may let you take over in a fight. I can learn from you like that.  
  
I’m still a rather weak presence within you. Not strong enough yet. I can show you in your mind how to use the Mangekyô.  
  
You could be with Kakashi again._  
  
Itachi understood Sasuke’s meaning perfectly.  _I don’t know if that would be good for any of us. It wouldn’t be fair to you. And he’s still grieving.  
  
Better now than later. If he and I became lovers as well, it wouldn’t be that unfair._ Sasuke could feel his brother’s desire. Not a physical desire, but a longing. Itachi’s voice was faltering again.  
  
 _Pl . . . on’t tell him about me yet. If he knew . . . n’t think he’d start a relationship with you . . . so he could have me . . . I can be content without . . . do become lovers . . . open your senses to me . . . little . . . need not . . . more than that. I want you to love each other.  
  
You’re very generous, brother.  
  
Enlightened self interest . . . may be good for both of you. From what I can see, he’s dead inside, isn’t he? . . . can’t see into your mind, I can tell you are very lonely. I want my brother and lover to be happy. And if I can have a little time with him . . ._ He trailed off rather than lost strength.  
  
 _Itachi, I do love you. I’m so sorry that I hated you._  
  
I made you hate me. It’s what I wanted so that you’d be safe. I’m sorry I manipulated you. I started having doubts. I should have told you the truth.  
  
Itachi’s presence faded. Sasuke opened his eyes. Dawn had broken over the open plain beyond their window. Kakashi was sitting at the window again, completely dressed, not wanting to wake Sasuke.  
  
Sasuke sat up and Kakashi looked at him. At least he looked at him. Sasuke started getting ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kôhai is like protégé or subordinate, opposite of Sempai (Itachi was Kakashis kôhai)


	6. The Land of Lightning

They left the city on the plain with fresh supplies. Once they were out of sight, Sasuke summoned a package.   
  
“It’ll be getting cold ahead; the Land of Lightning is prone to rain and high winds. Here’s the Akatsuki cloaks Madara gave me. I don’t particularly want to wear them, but they’ll be warm.”  
  
They all accepted their cloaks and put them on, except for Kakashi. Kakashi held the cloak staring at the red cloud pattern. Sasuke watched his eye; it took some time for Kakashi to look back into Sasuke’s black eyes. Kakashi was remembering Itachi and his loathing of Akatsuki despite Itachi’s seemingly unabashed membership. Sasuke nodded slightly and Kakashi put the cloak on. He tried to think of it as Itachi’s, as if this brought him closer to his dead lover.  
  
Over the next few days, Sasuke spent a considerable amount of time meditating or pretending to be asleep to speak with Itachi. He never let on that he was going to attack Konoha; he knew Itachi would never agree. As Kakashi had said, Itachi was idealistic; Sasuke was learning that first hand. But like Kakashi, Sasuke couldn’t agree with him. His life had been revenge; that wasn’t going to change because he forgave his brother. And he did forgive him after several days of Itachi trying to explain his actions. It was nice to be able to talk with his brother, but he was still dead, still not  _here_. He couldn’t forgive Konoha. And he didn’t delude himself of being noble; it wasn’t just for the pain Konoha caused his brother or the destruction of their clan that he pursued revenge, it was for his own suffering as well. He had to keep this side of himself well hidden from Itachi.   
  
They crossed the border of the Land of Lightning. Kakashi was practically attached to Sasuke’s hip. Suigetsu and Karin didn’t like it for different reasons. Suigetsu had begun regarding Sasuke as a brother and wanted to work alone with him as he had done with his own older brother. And, though he never mentioned it to Sasuke, he also lost his precious older brother; he felt a kinship to Sasuke for that reason, even though Sasuke had retreated into himself almost completely. Karin of course wanted to be alone with Sasuke for a completely different reason.  
  
Juugo was indifferent. As long as Sasuke was around to quell his violent urges, he didn’t care. He actually liked Kakashi; he was quiet, unlike the other two. Though he neither approved nor disapproved of Kakashi, he did observe him more than the others. Kakashi had begun his time with them staring out window or out into the space, but now he was looking at Sasuke. It seemed calculating to him, but not threatening.   
  
\-----  
  
The Hachibi was more of a challenge than any of them could have imaged. Having a second Sharingan was a godsend. In the chaos of the Hachibi’s fight with Suigetsu and Sasuke’s Amaterasu, they almost missed the fact the Hachibi was using a decoy, the severed octopus arm that Sasuke cut in order to save Karin. Kakashi spotted the real Hachibi and led the renewed attack while Juugo pulled Suigetsu and Karin to safety. Having Itachi’s eyes meant Sasuke could afford to be more reckless with the use of his eyes while Kakashi had to be conservative.   
  
Finally, the ushi-oni collapsed. Karin woke up and was able to confirm this was the Hachibi. She also noticed two shinobi on the ridge. Sasuke and Kakashi appeared in the blink of an eye and slaughtered both men.   
  
Kakashi took the Hachibi, Sasuke carried Karin, and Juugo carried Suigetsu and Suigetsu’s sword. Kakashi couldn’t help but think about Sasuke’s words and about Itachi. Could Itachi still be alive through his brother? If Itachi had come through during the fight, Kakashi saw no signs.   
  
They dumped the Hachibi at the rendezvous with Madara and set off for Konoha. Or rather, they headed toward Konoha; the group was deep in the Land of Lightning and it was a long journey back to Konoha and they all had injuries to treat. Their first stop was not far from Madara’s small base. Karin was injured and slipping in and out of consciousness while Suigetsu was put into a tank to recover. They would be here for a few days while they recovered.   
  
Juugo kept his distance from the two Konoha shinobi when they got settled. Even he was now growing frightened of these two. They seemed utterly remorseless.   
  
Kakashi went outside once everything was settled. He’d stripped off his Akatsuki cloak as soon as they arrived and he didn’t don it now. He sat down and stared out at the rock spires and the water. Sasuke came out to join him. He sat on another small outcropping about two meters from his sensei.  
  
“We killed the ones who saw us,” Sasuke said, “we should be safe here. This place is secluded even among the cloud shinobi. I don’t think we have to keep a watch.”  
  
“It’s nice here, but very exposed.”  
  
“Living in the middle of a forest and in a dense village, or underground like I did, you stop trusting open places. We’re used to enclosed places.”  
  
“Like animals in cages.”  
  
“Like prisoners. I think Itachi was the lucky one. At least was somewhat free.”  
  
“You . . . remember that?”  
  
“I have vivid dreams.”  
  
Kakashi became uncomfortable, unsure how vivid Sasuke meant.   
  
“He rebuffed Kisame. Kisame never touched him.”  
  
“I never doubted your brother’s loyalty. At least not to me.”  
  
Sasuke didn’t use his infamous speed when he walked up to Kakashi. Because of the height of the rock Kakashi sat on, they were nearly perfectly eye to eye. When Kakashi looked into those eyes, he couldn’t look away, though there was no Sharingan. Sasuke was so close that Kakashi could see the difference between the obsidian void of his pupil and the dark gray iris that appeared black at any distance further than this. How many times had he analyzed those gray irises? He was enraptured by Itachi’s eyes. Not just the physical eyes that had been Itachi’s, but by the soft look to them, the slightly hooded look Itachi would give him, only to him.   
  
“Itachi?”  
  
“I was always true to you, Senpai,” Sasuke said in a voice that was deep but could never be as deep as Itachi’s had been.   
  
“Itachi.”  
  
“I’m so sorry it ended up like this.”  
  
“It was worth it.”  
  
Itachi reached up and caressed the cold metal of his headband covering Kakashi’s Sharingan like his old one had. His eyes darted over it and Kakashi’s face. He leaned in to pull the mask down and kiss Kakashi. It only took seconds to recognize the way Itachi kissed. Kakashi pulled him closer, almost weeping at having his lover back.   
  
Regrettably, Kakashi still had some conscious left and pulled back.  
  
“I can’t do this to Sasuke, even if it is you, Itachi.”  
  
Sasuke/Itachi smiled. “I would think less of you if you didn’t say that.”  
  
“How can you be here?”  
  
Itachi explained briefly how he sealed his chakra in his eyes.  
  
“But what about Sasuke?”  
  
“I’m not strong enough to stay long. We’ve been talking. I’ve been getting stronger and Sasuke’s been getting better at summoning me and repressing me. If he wants me gone, he can reign me in. I’m not going to go against his will.” He kissed Kakashi briefly.   
  
Sasuke pressed his forehead against Kakashi’s, grabbed onto him, staggering. When Sasuke pulled away, his eyes were normal again.   
  
“Thank you, Kakashi.” Sasuke said in his normal voice, though it was a little horse. “But you don’t have to worry about me.” He kissed him. There was such a difference, but it wasn’t any less pleasurable. It was sloppier, more desperate, and more bitey. Sasuke used his teeth. He bit and pulled at Kakashi’s lower lip, drawing blood and sucking at it. Kakashi let himself enjoy it for a minute, then pushed him away.  
  
“Itachi was always true to me and I to him.”  
  
“We’re one in the same now.”  
  
“I need to hear him say that.”  
  
Sasuke closed his eyes and tried to bring his brother out again. He didn’t succeed for a while. Kakashi put his hand to Sasuke’s cheek and forced Sasuke to look into his eyes. His eyes soften to Itachi’s again.  
  
“Sasuke needs you too. I’m really gone, Kakashi, I’m just a ghost. It would be better if you let me go. If you love Sasuke, you have my blessing. I want you both happy. But you are isolated being missing-nins. Sasuke does love you.”  
  
“You can read his mind?”  
  
“No, we’re separate entities.” He was going to mention Orochimaru, but he wasn’t sure if Kakashi even knew about that. “But I know it. I will always love you, but I can’t really be with you anymore.”   
  
Itachi gave up control and Sasuke was better able to retake it. But Sasuke leaned into Kakashi’s body much like he had staggered before. He brought a hand up to Kakashi’s hair and stroked him behind his left ear while he pressed his face against the left side of Kakashi’s head. Kakashi put his arms around him.   
  
“Are you all right, Sasuke? I mean with Itachi?”  
  
“I’m fine. Did I never tell you? Itachi’s not the only one buried in my mind. Orochimaru tried to take my body and consume me like he did the others. But I consumed him instead and left his dying snake-like body to rot the floor. I have him safely imprisoned away from my consciousness. He’ll never rear his head again and I take the benefit of all his abilities. Even the jutsu my Sharingan couldn’t copy and his healing ability; they’re mine now. And I keep him locked up. Itachi much better company, I assure you.”  
  
“I thought you physically killed Orochimaru.”  
  
“I thought I did at first, but he was playing possum and tried to take me over. He underestimated me I guess.”  
  
“Everyone should know to never underestimate an Uchiha.”  
  
“It seems to always be a lethal mistake.”  
  
“Everything about you Uchiha is lethal.” Kakashi turned his face into Sasuke, his lips seeking Sasuke’s. The kiss wasn’t so sloppy this time. Sasuke was surprisingly submissive, letting the more experienced Kakashi take control, letting him dominate the kiss. He explored every inch of Sasuke’s mouth, felt those unnaturally sharp canines and the silk smooth underside of his tongue. There was something addicting about Sasuke’s nearly virginal mouth.  
  
Out of breath, they parted. “Don’t ever leave me, Kakashi.” Sasuke was breathless from the kiss and from desperation. “I’ve lost everyone else.” Sasuke cuddled up in his arms as comfortable as he could standing up.  
  
“I won’t leave. Ever. And not because of Itachi.” Kakashi generously did not mention the fact he was the one who abandoned some of those he’d lost. Sasuke didn’t need reminding of his mistakes right now.  
  
\-----  
  
They didn’t have sex while they took refuge in this building out in the middle of nowhere. But they touched whenever they were sure the others wouldn’t see: a hand on the back, fingers trailing on the arm, a touch to the back of the hand, a quick caress to the cheek, a stroke of hair, an ‘accidental’ brush against each other. Every touch seemed to deepen the genuine love and affection that was developing between them. They wanted each other desperately.   
  
Karin was awake and badgering Suigetsu who was complaining from his tank about having to save their asses. Juugo just sat by quietly. Sasuke sat near them drinking water and thinking about the abilities he’d discovered in his eyes when he was able to control the Amaterasu flames. Itachi had told him that he never possessed that ability. If it was from his eyes, he never knew about it; he was certain it was Sasuke’s own power.   
  
Kakashi flanked him, standing almost at attention watching the younger shinobi argue. He couldn’t bring himself to miss Naruto and Sakura who would argue like this, though not as vehemently. Like Sasuke used to, Juugo just watched without getting into the argument. Kakashi just couldn’t care about anyone from his former life anymore. It was like that had all been another lifetime or years and years ago or just the life of some character in one of Jiraiya’s books. Even these three that reminded him of Team Seven didn’t feel real to him. The only person that was real to him was Sasuke. He’d also come to accept that Itachi was no more than a ghost, but one he could talk to, and perhaps make love to. But there was no one to him now but Sasuke.   
  
He was growing obsessively attached to his former student. It was all he could do standing behind him not to caress and stroke his raven hair fondly. He was only aware of these three as living as far as to not engage in overly affectionate behavior with Sasuke in front of them. He really couldn’t care less, but he knew Sasuke did not want the others to know; though Kakashi wondered why it mattered.  
  
“Karin, Suigetsu,” Sasuke said imperiously despite the fact he was sitting on a crate. “How much longer before we can move out?”  
  
“Another day I think,” Karin said.  
  
“Ah,” Suigetsu agreed. “I’m almost recovered.”  
  
“Because we’re all suffering from injuries, we’ll move more slowly for a few days,” Sasuke said. “And we’ll stay the night in cities more often. No one knows who might have attacked the Hachibi. They might not even know anything’s happened yet. We won’t where the cloaks until we get back to the Land of Fire.”  
  
He didn’t have to tell Kakashi to follow him out, Kakashi followed anyway, like a bodyguard. The others stared after them; they were all beginning to have suspicions about their relationship.   
  
\-----  
  
Three days of slow trekking through the wilderness, they arrived at a small town. Sasuke—with Kakashi, as always, in tow—arranged for three rooms, one of which was separated from the others. Kakashi didn’t cock an eyebrow; he was beyond ready for this.   
  
Sasuke delivered the others to their rooms with instructions not to interrupt him. The pair were finally alone. Kakashi remained close behind Sasuke even as they entered the room. The moment the lock was turned, Kakashi put his hands on Sasuke’s abdomen and pulled him closer. He put his masked lips to Sasuke’s hair. Sasuke melted into this warmth overcome by phantom memories and acute desire. He could almost be satisfied by being held and fondled by his former sensei, but wanted so much more.   
  
From what Itachi had let slip—having never showed Sasuke any intimate moments on purpose—Sasuke knew they were not exclusively top or bottom, but Itachi was much more uke than Kakashi. Sasuke was going to make it clear he was more of a seme than his brother.   
  
Sasuke turned around, yanked Kakashi’s mask down, and kissed him forcefully, exerting dominance. Kakashi accepted it. Their clothes peeled off with a few disgruntled grunts. They didn’t have to stop to admire the other, having seen each other naked more than once, they just concentrated on touching, exploring every millimeter of skin. Kakashi was acutely aware of the fact that every inch of Sasuke’s body was virgin. He took an obscene delight in taking even that level of virginity from him as he caressed the smooth skin of Sasuke’s unmarred side. The first person to ever touch Sasuke like this, just as he’d been the first one to ever touch Itachi in this way. And the only one. Always be the only one.  
  
But Sasuke wasn’t about to let Kakashi take the lead. He forced Kakashi down on his back and slipped out the lube he’d purchased along with other supplies earlier. For a minute they just kissed and rubbed their bodies together. Kakashi loved the way the younger man felt on top of him. The death of Itachi had somehow made him forget how good a solid body could feel, thinking of Itachi as an ethereal being even in his memories. Sasuke was solid and warm, alive and painfully real. It sent a pang of longing for Itachi, but he was very much aware of who he was kissing.   
  
Sasuke set the lube aside to stroke their erections. His hand went lower to heft Kakashi’s scrotum, run a finger down his perineal raphe, and then teased his tight entrance. Kakashi didn’t fight him at all. Sasuke was the virgin and the one who started it. Kakashi had uked for Itachi many times and was looking forward to feeling Sasuke inside him.  
  
Sasuke stopped kissing him. “I’ve never done this before.”  
  
Kakashi tried to remember if he had ever heard Sasuke admit ignorance before, but he was not in any state to remember his much of anything. “Don’t worry about it, just lube yourself up and go slow. I’m no virgin, I won’t break.”  
  
Sasuke gave a slight grin and obeyed. Kakashi had to wonder about that smirk.  _Skepticism?_    
  
Thunder sounded loudly around them. They both looked to the window in time to the flash of lightning. But the sky framed by their window was cloudless. A storm was coming, very close by the sound and time between the thunder and the light. They looked back at one another, unconcerned by the weather, but glad they had found an inn nevertheless.   
  
Kakashi spread his legs without shame, angling him hips up, inviting Sasuke to impale him. Sasuke raised himself up with all abdominal muscles in a way that seemed preternatural. He let himself take in the sight of his sensei splayed out for him. He touched his virgin cock to Kakashi’s entrance a moment before pressing in. Kakashi relaxed as much as possible. It hadn’t been all that long since his last time with Itachi, but he was not as loose as he might have liked. And Sasuke was thicker than his brother. He didn’t care though; the pain was almost as exhilarating as the pleasure. Fuck, it felt so good. Kakashi groaned, but Sasuke didn’t take that as a sign to stop.   
  
“Damn, you’re tight,” was all Sasuke could mutter as he eased in. Sasuke looked to be in as much pain as Kakashi. Kakashi tired to chuckle, but couldn’t, finding it hard to breath with the larger invader.  
  
It seemed like ages before their hips met. Sasuke fell forward to support himself with a hand at Kakashi’s side. They both panted. Kakashi loved the feel of the shorter man’s hot breath puffing against his chest. His own breath ruffled Sasuke’s hair hanging forward with the sweat that had broken out from exertion and passion. Sasuke would probably grow a few more inches and they might be able to comfortably kiss in this position. But the thought that his thick cock might one day be larger was almost frightening. He never thought he’d ever know the feeling of being stretched like this ever again, not after that first night with Itachi. He knew what it must look like: rim bright red with broken capillaries, the normally puckered flesh pulled taut and smooth by Sasuke’s thickness, an obscene looking ring of lubed his rim had scraped off Sasuke’s hard length. He loved watching his own cock penetrate Itachi’s smaller lithe body and couldn’t wait to see the same thing when he mounted Sasuke, but he was just as aroused thinking of his own body looking like that.  
  
“I don’t think I could move,” Sasuke gasped.  
  
“Give it a minute.” Kakashi did his best to relax his body, but the pain made him clinch up. The searing heat and pain felt strangely good. The hot flesh seated against stretched flesh just felt so right. Finally, the pain of being entered without preparation ebbed away and his muscles relaxed. “Whenever you’re ready.”  
  
Sasuke pulled out slowly; it obviously felt better than when he was forcing his way in because he was all too eager to reenter. Without any thought to Kakashi, he began an easy rhythm. Kakashi didn’t complain, especially when the younger man found his prostate. He saw stars and let out a guttural moan. Sasuke took the hint and aimed for that spot again.   
  
Kakashi bucked up into him, urging him on. “Ah, fuck me. Fuck me, Sasuke.”   
  
Sasuke was a little too far gone in pleasure at the moment to appreciate that Kakashi had said his name, not his brother’s. Sasuke fell forward and rubbed his face into Kakashi’s neck, grazing his teeth over the exposed flesh. Sasuke’s abdomen was now rubbing Kakashi’s erection as he continued to fuck him. Kakashi had one hand gripping the bedding, the other came up to grip Sasuke’s neck.   
  
“Feels so good, Sasuke.”  
  
Sasuke moaned an agreement to his assessment. He grabbed Kakashi’s shoulders to give him leverage. He found the perfect angle and rhythm and fucked Kakashi for all he was worth, battering that cluster of nerves that almost made Kakashi believe in a god. Kakashi just lay under him enjoying every movement inside his body. Thunder struck again, but they did not see the light, too preoccupied by their own pleasure.  
  
After several minutes, Sasuke sat up, bracing himself with his hands on Kakashi’s abdomen. Sasuke did not stop thrusting, using his hands against Kakashi’s body to give him leverage. Sasuke’s mind finally cleared of the blinding sensation of his first fuck. He looked down in Kakashi face and waited for Kakashi to open at least one eye to look at him. Both opened. Their eyes met. The look in Sasuke’s eyes were darker than any Kakashi’d ever seen in Itachi’s, but just full of lust and desire.   
  
Kakashi tightened his body purposely, his tunnel undulating around Sasuke. Sasuke’s arched his back and threw his head back as his orgasm approached. His entire body was bowed backward, stretching his abdomen to display his muscles to Kakashi’s devouring eyes.   
  
Kakashi want to cum first to milk Sasuke properly; he reached down and pulled himself to his climax. His body tightened and his inner muscles quivered around Sasuke’s cock. Sasuke cam with a cry unlike any Kakashi had ever heard before, so distinctly Sasuke and could only be made by his orgasm. If Kakashi hadn’t just cum, that sound alone could bring him over the edge. As it was, he rode out his orgasm with a hard on already beginning to develop.  
  
Sasuke collapsed on top of him and panted like he’s just taken down a squad of ANBU by himself in under a minute. Kakashi put an arm around his back, the other imbedding itself in Sasuke’s sweaty hair. Sasuke’s breathing was roaring in Kakashi’s ear, but he loved it. He was amazed at how helpless Sasuke was in this moment and that he completely trusted Kakashi. Forget about any past relationship, it was almost incomprehensible to Kakashi that Sasuke would allow himself to be completely defenseless in the presence of another. At the moment, it was something even Kakashi couldn’t give Sasuke. Nor could he allow Sasuke fall asleep without taking him.  
  
Lucky, Sasuke was just as eager to continue, he just had to catch his breath.   
  
“Fuck,” Sasuke sighed. He pushed himself up out of Kakashi’s grip and rolled over next to him to finish regaining his breath on his back.   
  
It was only when Kakashi rolled over a little to look at Sasuke that he realized just how much had been sweating as well. He felt the air chill the moisture on his back. Sasuke’s white skin was glistening in the dying sunlight coming though the open window. The cool breeze coming in had done nothing to stop the sweat and the heat from their bodies was proof enough against any chill up ‘til now. Now, their bodies separated and no longer moving, began to cool. Sasuke shivered slightly. They were still further north than Konoha and the wind was cold. The wind began to blow clouds over their patch of sky. Rain would soon follow.  
  
Sasuke wasn’t looking at Kakashi, his hooded eyes staring at the ceiling. His white face was flushed and shinning in the last of the sunlight.  
  
“You’re so beautiful, Sasuke,” Kakashi couldn’t help saying.   
  
Sasuke’s head lulled over to look at him. His sated eyes locked with Kakashi’s lustful one, his Sharingan eye automatically shutting after his orgasm. Sasuke’s stomach squirmed at being looked at like that; Orochimaru had looked at him like that. He felt an echo of a ‘ku, ku, ku’ in his mind. He slammed Orochimaru’s cell completely shut. Thinking of the old snake had loosened the seal. Itachi was blessedly silent. But Kakashi’s look wasn’t pure lust as Orochimaru’s had been, there was adoration there as well.  
  
The expression on Sasuke’s face made Kakashi pause. Fear? Apprehension? This was the first time Sasuke seemed nervous or uncertainty about this. His own expression softened to comfort the inexperienced young man.  
  
“I won’t hurt you.”  
  
“I know. I was just reminded of something. It’s nothing.” Sasuke relaxed and seemed more receptive.   
  
“ _You_  remembered?”  
  
“Itachi’s stays out of my consciousness. It was my own memory. I can tell the deference.” Sasuke shivered again.  
  
Kakashi got up and shut the window. It was dark. He uses a jutsu to make a small flame to light a candle.   
  
“That seems a gross underutilization of power,” Sasuke said.  
  
“At least I didn’t make a clone to do it.” He went to the bath room and brought a hot wet towel out with him. He cleaned Sasuke’s soft length carefully, aware how sensitive he probably still was.  
  
But he lost no time taking the head of his cock into him mouth as soon as the soiled lube was gone. Sasuke was still sensitive, but besides hissing, he did not complain. Kakashi was gentle, using only his smooth inner lips and suction, no rough tongue or teeth. Sasuke’s erection began to return. Judging him to be ready, Kakashi pointed his tongue and stabbed at the slit. Sasuke’s hips bucked, but Kakashi was ready to hold him down. Sasuke groaned in pleasure. Kakashi continued to slowly pleasure him as he lubed his fingers.   
  
Sasuke tensed up as a rush of new pleasure ran up his spin when Kakashi caressed his opening feather light. He teased him for a full minute before easing a finger in. But this time Kakashi was taking half Sasuke’s cock into his mouth. Kakashi came up to tell Sasuke to relax. He returned to mouth to his cock and started deepthroating him as he added a second finger. Kakashi did his best to distract Sasuke with his mouth as he stretched his virgin entrance. Sasuke barely registered Kakashi’s fingers as he was given his first blowjob. But Sasuke’s muscles were already like butter after his first real orgasm, his body conforming to Kakashi’s manipulation. It didn’t take long to prepare him and bring him back to full hardness with his mouth.   
  
Another roll of thunder and the heavens opened releasing a deluge of rain on the town.  
  
Kakashi retracted his fingers and gave Sasuke’s cock one last long, powerful suck from root to tip before releasing it completely. Sasuke groaned a complaint at the loss of the warmth. Kakashi came up to knell between Sasuke’s spread legs and looked down at the beautiful body twisted with desire before him. He took both hands and felt down his body from his shoulders down to his hips. Sasuke arched up into his touch.  
  
Kakashi snatched an unused pillow and stuffed it under Sasuke’s hips. Sasuke seemed to come back to himself as he did, his dark eyes staring into Kakashi were full of lust and desire, challenging him to continue; he was pliant and wanted Kakashi to use him how he saw fit. The power Sasuke was giving him was a heady thing, like a sudden swig of a full bottle of sake. Kakashi wouldn’t take advantage of that power, not with Sasuke, but he wasn’t going to deny Sasuke by not exerting at least a part of that power here and now.  
  
Entering Sasuke was amazing. He and Itachi had been having sex for nearly nine years on and off; though Itachi remained tight, he was not as tight as his virgin brother.   
  
The thunder cashed right over them, the lightning bleeding into the room almost immediately. Sasuke’s skin seemed even whiter, virginal, in the flash of cold light. It seemed like heresy to violate this beautiful virgin body. It felt like cheating on a lover, like a teacher taking advantage of student, pedophilia, and incest all at once (it was in a way all of these things). This was like something so wrong it gave him a thrill. A thrill even more keen than murder. It was truly mindblowingly powerful. He remembered taking Itachi after an assassination mission, one of the most passionate nights they’d spent together. This was even more intense.   
  
It was like desecration, corruption.  
  
It was like sin.  
  
And he loved it.  
  
He didn’t want to wait once he bottomed out, but remembered Sasuke was a virgin. Sasuke didn’t care however; he lifted his hips to urge Kakashi to move. Kakashi threw out the last of his inhibitions and obeyed.   
  
Sasuke was panting and moaning under him as Kakashi destroyed the last of his innocence. Sasuke was still thrusting his hips up to meet Kakashi’s desperately.   
  
“Harder,” Sasuke begged breathlessly. “Harder, sensei.”  
  
To Kakashi, that was the dirtiest thing Sasuke could have said. Sasuke’s panting and moans sounded obscene to his ears. He lost himself in Sasuke’s wanton lust. He wanted Sasuke more and more even as he was fucking him as hard as possible.   
  
Sasuke growled. “Fuck me,” he urged. Kakashi grabbed his hips and pulled him onto his erection. Sasuke’s moaning was like a drug in of itself. This was not Itachi. There was nothing of Itachi here and Kakashi didn’t even think of him. Sasuke was for more into the physical sensation, for more animalistic that his brother. That was pure love; this was pure lust. Sex with Itachi was chaste compared to this; it had been a loving relationship, tender and affectionate. This was different. This was passionate and animalistic. Complete debauchery.  
  
Sasuke was nothing holding anything back; his fingers grasped at the sheets even while the muscles of his arms tightened and untightened, pulling his fingers from their grip on the sheets. His legs clamped onto the sides of the Kakashi’s hips, but Kakashi pulled himself free to fuck Sasuke at his own pace. Sasuke’s back arched and stretched like he was possessed by some sensuous demon. Kakashi took every bit pleasure he could from the body beneath him. He wasn’t searching for Sasuke’s prostate, but hit it from long experience with Itachi.   
  
Sasuke’s moans were working themselves into a crescendo that culminated in a cry that was as close to a scream that would ever come out of Sasuke’s throat. His orgasm was powerful; his cum shoot almost as far as his own face. His body was more reactive than Itachi’s had ever been, convulsing and trembling around him. Kakashi was powerless to stop his own climax, shooting deeply inside the boy’s body, his own orgasm incredibly powerful.   
  
Kakashi started pulling out, but Sasuke’s legs wound around Kakashi’s hips, preventing him from moving. He pulled Kakashi deeper and deeper into him even as Kakashi’s erection was deflating, Sasuke riding the aftermath of his orgasm for all it was worth. Finally, he released Kakashi and his body collapsed deeply into the bed, all strength dissolving. Kakashi lay down beside him.   
  
Sasuke took a few seconds to recover his energy and breath then rolled over onto Kakashi. Kakashi held Sasuke against his chest and stroked his hair.  
  
“I love you, Kakashi. I love you.”  
  
“I can’t love the way I loved Itachi. But I love you. I will stay with you until I die. You’re all I have left. Of your brother, of your clan, of Konoha, of my students. I love only you, Sasuke.”  
  
“And I you. There is nothing, no one, except you.”  
  
The thunder and lightning raged throughout the night, but Sasuke slept soundly in Kakashi’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ushi-oni is the ox demon that the eight-tail’s form takes. Sort of. I’m getting that from Narutopedia. Sounds good to me.


	7. Waystop

The air was clean the next morning, washed by the wind and the rain. The smell of ozone and wet earth was invigorating. The day seemed virginal as the sun cascaded over the town.   
  
Sasuke tried to dig himself deeper into Kakashi’s warmth as the chilly morning air seeped around the shutters. Kakashi pulled the blanket more securely over the younger man’s shoulders.   
  
The dried cum between their bodies was scratchy as was the dried rheum in the corners of Kakashi’s eyes. He let the rheum sit, preferring to keep his arms around the warm body on top of him. Sasuke’s hair tickled his chin, but he didn’t brush it away. Nor was he inclined to do anything about the pool of gelling saliva on his chest being drooled by his absolutely exhausted lover. Neither the thunder nor Sasuke’s soft snores, which Kakashi had never heard before, could wake Kakashi during the night. Only habit woke him this morning.   
  
Habit must have been working, though late, on Sasuke as well. He woke up, trying to stretch despite his odd choice of bed. He almost fell off Kakashi’s thin body. He opted for a controlled roll off to the side and finished his catlike stretching. He didn’t look all that happy.  
  
“Sore?” Kakashi asked.  
  
“Ah. But not just my ass.”  
  
“That’s too be expected.” Kakashi’s own ass was sore—probably more than Sasuke’s since he’d prepared Sasuke—as was his back. Itachi didn’t usually sleep completely on top of him.  
  
“It’s late. The others are actually obeying my order not to bother us.”  
  
“They may not have slept well with the weather.”  
  
Sasuke lay completely flat on his stomach. Despite the discomfort in his own back, Kakashi turned and rubbed Sasuke’s back. Receiving an approving moan, Kakashi moved to kneel next to him and give him a proper rub down. It was difficult with dry hands, but he didn’t see where the lube had gone. Sasuke was a contented mass under his hands regardless.   
  
“Not now, Itachi,” Sasuke muttered. Kakashi forced himself not to stop, but the fact Itachi was so close threatened to arrest him.   
  
“Is he angry?”  
  
Sasuke hummed questionably.  
  
“Is Itachi angry about last night?”  
  
“My barriers are just down so he asked if I was alright. Sure he realized why they were down; he seemed amused.”  
  
“Unavoidable consequence of being well fucked.”  
  
Sasuke chuckled. “Shower.”  
  
Kakashi took his hands away. Sasuke stood. “Come on.” Kakashi couldn’t help but smirk.   
  
Without orders, Kakashi dropped to his knees and began washing the dried cum from Sasuke’s body including from his growing erection. He let the water wash the soap away and then took the head of his cock into his mouth and used his soapy fingers to ‘clean’ Sasuke’s ass. Sasuke grabbed Kakashi’s hair. He pulled, released, and gripped his white hair. Kakashi continued to wash his young lover’s body as he sucked him.   
  
Once clean, Sasuke pushed Kakashi against the wall. Kakashi let himself slide down so he was at a good height to be taken. Using shampoo as lube, Sasuke entered him. Like the night before, it was not slow or loving, it was pure animalistic lust. As Sasuke came down from his orgasm, he caressed the sides of Kakashi’s face. The act wasn’t loving, but they showed affection in between, like now, they caressed each other’s skin as if they received a chemical high just from touching.  
  
They finished cleaning up and dressed, but they found every opportunity to touch one another; just caresses.  
  
Once outside, they didn’t touch or show any affection.   
  
\-----  
  
The clouds seemed to follow them as they made their way toward the Land of Fire; there was a perpetual gloom at their back that made them run harder to find better shelter than trees for the night. Cracks of thunder seemed to lash them on like whip cracks.   
  
 _Madara can teleport,_  Sasuke complained inwardly,  _can’t you?_  
  
 _He wasn’t much of teacher,_  Itachi retorted.  _And my Sharingan was not the Eternal Mangekyo. I couldn’t risk it without going blind much faster than I was. If you’re on such friendly terms with him, I suggest you ask him._  
  
 _Testy. Don’t worry, I plan to kill him, but I have to get close to him, let him drop his guard.  
  
Ah._ Itachi conceded.  _Then perhaps I should give you some advice—though it is against my better judgment. You looked an awful like Madara’s little brother. You might try to profit on that._  
  
I think I will, thank you. But do you have any suggestion about getting out of the rain?  
  
Give me control; I’ll lead you to one of our hideouts in this area.  
  
You could have mentioned this earlier.  
  
Itachi hummed a rye response.  
  
Sasuke held up a hand and they all stopped. Sasuke handed over control then flew off in a different direction. Kakashi got a chill as he watched Sasuke leap off again and as he moved from tree branch to tree branch; there was something familiar about it. Also a little off balance. Indeed, Itachi was not used to using these muscles and had to concentrate on landing safely.   
  
Just as Itachi had said, there was a small shack in the middle of this clump of trees near the border.   
  
“Eh, Sasuke, what is this place?” Suigetsu asked.   
  
“A small Akatsuki hideout,” Sasuke said in Itachi’s deeper tones. It was still Sasuke’s voice, but they all noticed the difference. No one said anything though. He led them inside and to another door in the floor which led to a larger and more comfortable area.  
  
“How did you know about this place?”  
  
“Does it matter?” Itachi asked lightly.   
  
“No, it doesn’t,” Kakashi said. Itachi rounded on him and he stared into Kakashi’s eyes. Sasuke shoved Itachi aside and lost his balance ever so slightly.   
  
“No, it doesn’t,” Sasuke repeated. “There are rooms enough in here for us all to have their own room.” Sasuke started down the narrow corridor. “Karin, the one at the end of the hall was a woman’s at one point, there may be some perfume for you to pilfer. Kakashi, this one was Itachi’s.” Another step. “This was Kisame’s. I’ll take ‘leader’s’ room.”  
  
“What is this place?” Karin asked.  
  
“Way station for Akatsuki. Juugo, I would suggest Sasori’s room; Deidra kept explosives in his room and the others are probably not fit for ‘human’ habitation.” Sasuke entered his room and shut the door. They each went to their ‘assigned’ rooms.  
  
Kakashi touched the door reverently before he opened it and hesitated before entering. He shut the door behind him. The room was small. The first thing one saw was the bed with a scarlet comforter. There was little else. Standard furniture made out of black wood; nothing of a personal nature. The only thing that could tell him it was Itachi’s room was the scarlet blanket. Not that Itachi was fond of that color, but no one could help but associate the Uchiha with that color.   
  
“The color of Itachi’s ring.”  
  
Kakashi whirled. He was sure he shut the door, but Sasuke had opened it silently.  
  
“All the comforters are connected to their rings. Itachi was ‘Scarlet.’ Sort of perverse, don’t you think?”  
  
“I have it. Itachi’s ring. I took it along with his necklace and weapons.”  
  
“That might be useful. There appears to be something about those rings and whatever Madara is up to. Even Itachi doesn’t know everything.”  
  
“Was your room not to your liking?”  
  
“Actually it wasn’t. Clinical. I thought the supposed leader of Akatsuki would have the grandest room. I was wrong. More utilitarian than I thought. The ‘leader’ either knows his place or does not share Madara’s thirst for world domination. But if you object, I can make do in his room.”  
  
Kakashi grabbed him, thrust him against the door, pulled down his mask, and kissed him hard. “I took offence by you taking another room.” He sucked at Sasuke’s lips.  
  
“Didn’t want the others to get suspicious.” They each had to fight the other to say anything.  
  
“They already are.”  
  
“Perhaps so. I thought you might like some time alone in here.”  
  
“Didn’t give me much time.”  
  
“Didn’t like my room.”  
  
“Good. I want you.”  
  
“You have me.”  
  
Kakashi tugged on Sasuke’s rope belt and was surprised by the clangs of weapons that fell with the belt and wrap as Sasuke made no move to stop them. Sasuke would have torn the clothes off of Kakashi’s body if they weren’t supposed to be made of blade proof material. Kakashi peeled the black fabric away while Sasuke stripped himself. Sasuke threw himself onto the scarlet comforter. Kakashi pulled off the last of his clothes and straddled Sasuke offered body.   
  
Sasuke stared up at him. His eyes shifted down to his chest. “Itachi’s necklace,” he said as he reached up to touch it.  
  
“It came off last night when we stripped. Otherwise, I haven’t taken it off.”  
  
Sasuke smiled. “Always loyal.”  
  
“To you Uchiha.”  
  
“You’ll follow my orders, unfailingly?”  
  
“I already swore, I will.”  
  
“Then fuck me already.”  
  
Kakashi smirked. Sasuke presented him with the lube and Kakashi stretched him quickly. Sasuke was preternaturally patient, not touching himself, not doing anything, just laying there completely open to Kakashi’s eyes, trusting him and giving over all power to him. So open and trusting, just like Itachi. So patient, like Itachi. So beautiful, like Itachi. He still loved Itachi, still wanted revenge for him—his soul burned for revenge for him—but he was in love with Sasuke. It was a different kind of love, but he loved him. And he could reconcile the two emotions. He eased into Sasuke’s pliant body without reservations.   
  
Sasuke struggled to keep from tightening up and his face scrunched up with pain and discomfort. His breath stilled until he felt Kakashi’s hips meet his. He took a few deep breaths then nodded. Kakashi pulled almost all the way out. He went slowly until Sasuke seemed comfortable. It then turned into what he’d come to expect, animalist fucking. Sasuke thrust up against as Kakashi started ramming into the delicate looking teenager.   
  
Sasuke pulled Kakashi’s head down to kiss him, forcing Kakashi’s to bend his back to reach the shorter man’s lips. Kakashi put his hands under his hips and rolled Sasuke up for more access, pulling his lips away from the teethy kiss. Sasuke didn’t protest.   
  
“I didn’t want uke very often, but damn I love the feeling of you inside me,” Sasuke panted.  
  
“I can’t get enough of you,” Kakashi growled. He pulled out. “Turn over.”  
  
Sasuke got on his hands and knees and Kakashi plunged back in, not going slow at all. Sasuke was pushed down again and again into the pillows until he stopped trying to keep his upper body up and push back. He gave over all control to the older man, just reveling in the pleasure. There was something so wrong about doing this in Itachi’s bed; but it just gave them an extra thrill.  
  
Sasuke’s white cum sprayed on the scarlet blanket beneath him and then Kakashi’s spilled into his trembling body. Sasuke collapsed onto his own cum stains, pressing them into the blanket that was very recently his brother’s. Kakashi didn’t pull out but pushed himself as deep as he could even as his cock deflated, laying on top of him.   
  
“I could fuck you every day and never get bored with it.”  
  
“You think you could handle me every day?” Sasuke wiggled out from under him, pushing Kakashi onto his back. Sasuke straddled his chest and presented his cock for sucking. He hissed at the sensitivity, but he didn’t pull away. Kakashi switched to his scrotum which was far less painful. Sasuke leaned forward against the wall and let the more experienced man work. For a few moments, Kakashi let himself imagine this was Itachi; they did smell alike.   
  
Once Sasuke was hard again, he moved to straddle Kakashi’s abdomen. He reached behind and scooped up lube from his own body. Kakashi enjoyed watching Sasuke apparently fingering himself. Sasuke showed him the fruits of his labor, a glob of lube and cum.   
  
“Enough, you think?”  
  
“Getting cheap?”  
  
Sasuke shrugged. “Want more?”  
  
“Didn’t say that.”  
  
Sasuke moved down between his legs and used the salvaged lube. He also scraped up some of the lube from Kakashi’s still flaccid cock and added that to his entrance before pressing in.   
  
For once, Sasuke took his time. This was the closest to lovemaking they’d had so far. Kakashi watched Sasuke’s upper body, marveling at the beauty of it.   
  
As they both neared their climax, Sasuke’s eyes were dark and nearly closed, looking down on Kakashi through slits and long dark eyelashes. He drew himself up to his full height and reached down to run his fingers lightly down Kakashi’s lean muscled abdomen.   
  
“Kakashi, you’ve lost everyone you’ve ever loved just like I have. You understand my pain. Together we will make Konoha understand our pain.”  
  
“Together,” Kakashi agreed in a breathless voice.  
  
“I love you.”  
  
“I love you.”  
  
Sasuke lowered his body down slowly and stretched his spine to kiss the taller man. But he pulled away needing to finish. He recoiled to his normal height to fuck his lover more effectively. Sasuke shot first, but the sound of Sasuke’s growling orgasm and the feeling of a load being sprayed into his body brought Kakashi off. Sasuke fell to the side enjoying his fifth orgasm in two days.   
  
After a few minutes, Sasuke sat up and leaned forward against his own raised knees, stretching his back.  
  
Kakashi turned onto his side and inhaled deeply, searching for that familiar scent in the pillows.   
  
“There is none,” Sasuke said without looking over at him. “There’s no trace of Itachi left in this room. It’s been some time since he stayed here. Everything’s been cleaned. Have you noticed how sterile this hideout is? This room? It feels colder. There’s nothing of Itachi left in this world.”  
  
Kakashi moved to put his arms around Sasuke’s waist and the side of his face pressed to his back. “There’s you.”  
  
“Me and a few pieces of jewelry.”  
  
Kakashi disengaged, leaned down to pick up pouch from the ground. He took out the ring. He returned to his previous position and opened his hand to present the ring to his lover.   
  
Sasuke took it and looked at it intently. Flashes of memory came to him, but they told him little. Itachi himself was silent.   
  
“I can use this to get close to Madara and kill him. He’ll see me as a replacement for my brother. I will play the loyal dog as my brother did. Itachi wanted to use me to kill him. He still has that chance. When I’m close enough, I’ll snap and tear out his throat.”  
  
“I’ll help, if you want me to.”  
  
Sasuke stroked Kakashi’s arm. “Ah. I won’t wear the ring now though. I don’t know anything about it. Itachi’s not even sure about the power of these rings. I wonder if Orochimaru’s ring is still there or if Kabuto took it. Perhaps you can use it.”  
  
“Not sure I want anything of Orochimaru’s.”  
  
“He wasn’t wearing it. It’s been resting on his severed hand since my brother cut it off.”  
  
“Lovely.”  
  
“I’ll soak it in acid first.”  
  
Kakashi hummed and then sniffed Sasuke’s skin. “You smell wonderful yourself.”  
  
“As do you.” Sasuke turned to pulled Kakashi’s head into his lap. “We were meant to sleep now.” He placed the ring on the floor reverently. “I want to return to the Fire Country as quickly as possible.” Sasuke shimmied down into bed. Kakashi pulled the scarlet covers over them both.


	8. Itachi

Sasuke stood outside under a solid piece of roof examining the sky through the gaps. It wouldn’t stop raining for some time. Karin stood behind him while Suigetsu stood out in the rain.   
  
“We’ll have to move in the rain,” Sasuke said. “I had hoped the rain would pass over us. This storm will not let up for a while. Suige—”  
  
Karin broke in. “There are several shinobi headed in this direction. Several spread out groups coming from the north. They’re spread out, so I don’t think they know where we are.”  
  
“They probably don’t know who they’re chasing,” Suigetsu said.  
  
“We’ll stay another night,” Sasuke said. “Get below.”  
  
\-----  
  
Sasuke came into Itachi’s room to find Kakashi doing pushups in the small space.   
  
“We’re being pursued,” he told him. “We’re staying.”   
  
Kakashi stood. “Well, this place is better than a forest clearing.”  
  
“Itachi assures me this place should be safe from most sensor types. I thought, since we’re not going anywhere and we have some privacy, I could give you and Itachi some time together.”  
  
Kakashi’s one open eye widened. “I’d like that.”  
  
Sasuke nodded. “So would he.” Sasuke shut his eyes and summoned Itachi. When he opened his eyes again they were very different. “Kakashi.”  
  
Kakashi put out a hand to touch Sasuke/Itachi’s cheek. “My little raven.”   
  
Itachi put a hand over his and a tear escaped his eyes. “I’ve missed you so much sempai. Sasuke said he’ll give us until morning together.”  
  
“We’re stuck here for now, perfect opportunity.” Kakashi kissed him. He tasted like Sasuke, but kissed like Itachi: more lips than teeth. Neither of their bodies were sex-starved, so the kiss didn’t greatly arouse them. It was never purely about sex anyway.  
  
Itachi’s hand came up and touched his necklace. The kiss ebbed away. “My necklace.”  
  
“I kept what I could. I remember when I bought it for you after I saw you admiring it.”  
  
“I remember. It’s one of the few things I kept from Konoha. There’s another hideout like this one near the border between the Fire and River. That’s where I left my armor. Perhaps you can use it. My ANBU sword, the one I used that night, is there.”  
  
“If it’s not too painful, can you please tell me the truth?”  
  
“I thought Sasuke told you.”  
  
“He did, but I want to hear it from you. And I just want to talk and be near you for a while. Maybe make love to you later.”  
  
Itachi smirked. “Alright, I’ll tell you everything.”  
  
They sat on the bed and Itachi told the while story going back to Madara and Izuna. He got up to the Kyuubi attack when they were interrupted by Suigetsu’s knock.  
  
“Eh, Sasuke, lunch,” he called through the door.  
  
“Think I can bluff my way through?” Itachi asked apprehensively.  
  
“I think so, just look mildly unhappy or annoyed, don’t laugh and don’t emote.”  
  
Itachi smiled sadly. “He’s really not happy, is he?”  
  
“He has little to be happy about. Once we kill Madara, I’m sure he’ll he find happiness. Come on, just don’t engage in conversation.”  
  
Itachi was able to remain emotionless, but he had a hard time stopping his eyes from darting to look at Kakashi. That was noticed, but no one suspected that this was not Sasuke.  
  
Until Itachi whipped himself up a sugary desert.  
  
They all stared at him. “What?”  
  
“I thought you hated anything sweet,” Karin said.  
  
“Sometimes you crave strange things.”  
  
“What’s wrong, Sasuke?”  
  
“Nothing.”  
  
“You’ve been acting strangely.”  
  
“Maybe you should tell them,” Kakashi said.   
  
“Me?”  
  
“I told you they were suspicious.”  
  
Itachi didn’t move or say anything for a moment. He sighed then smirked. “He has a smart remark for you, but he agrees. Couldn’t it wait until tomorrow?” Itachi took a bite of his desert. Sasuke apparently answered him, he looked up at the other three. “I’m not Sasuke; I’m Itachi. I sealed my chakra, and my soul it appears, in my eyes. Sasuke has control over me though, so you don’t need to worry about that; he can reel me in whenever he wants. But he’s giving me a day ‘out,’ so to speak.” He took another bite, supremely enjoying it. “I led you here. I’ve been giving Sasuke all the information I have on Akatsuki and the Bijuu. I will not betray him or any of you.”  
  
“So that’s why you two have been spending so much time together,” Suigetsu said.  
  
“Yeah,” Kakashi said.  
  
“How often has it been you?” Karin asked.  
  
“That time when you all killed Kisame and when I led you here. This is first time he’s given me any real time. Nice to be able to eat again. Amazing how you miss the small things.” Itachi’s smirk was disturbing on Sasuke’s face.   
  
After a meal, Kakashi and Itachi returned to his old room and he continued his tale, including how he had planned to die by Sasuke’s hand. At that point they cuddled even closer together.  
  
“You were going to leave me regardless,” Kakashi said softly.  
  
“For Sasuke.”  
  
“I understand and agree with your putting your brother before me; you should.” Kakashi stroked Sasuke’s jaw. It was the fact that jaw was not as angular as he desperately wanted it to be that caused Kakashi to break down. Itachi was dead. He was here, but he was dead. He pressed his face into Sasuke’s chest.  
  
“I love you so much, Itachi,” Kakashi wept. “If you were going to die anyway, I wish you had left me to be executed so I wouldn’t have to suffer the pain of your death. I miss you so much.”  
  
“I’m sorry. But I had to save you. And you were the only one I could trust to take care of Sasuke and give him my eyes.”  
  
“You have nothing to apologize for. You sacrificed too much. I love Sasuke, but you were the only person I ever loved. I wish we could just be together in the afterlife, if there is one.” For a shinobi who never showed a great deal of emotion, Kakashi’s tears and been a torrent, but quickly over.   
  
“This is sort of an afterlife. I’m already dead and you’ve been exiled. I don’t want you to morn me. Please, sempai.”  
  
“You can’t ask that.”  
  
“I am glad we can have some time together now. I hope it makes it easier for you. If not, I’d rather stay hidden.”  
  
“I don’t know. But I want to be with you, even if just for a few moments.”  
  
“So do I. I love you, sempai.” He titled his head up to kiss him.   
  
Kakashi was so much more gentle with Itachi than he was with his brother. The kiss was slow and loving. He didn’t tear at his clothes, but eased them off his body. Itachi groaned as Kakashi prepared him, tender from the treatment Sasuke’s body had received recently, and gasped as Kakashi entered him, Sasuke’s body being much tighter than his own.  
  
“Feels so different,” Itachi struggled to say.  
  
“Sasuke’s not very experienced. I’m not hurting you, am I?” He never would ask Sasuke that anymore.  
  
“It’s fine. It’s nice to feel anything again.”  
  
Kakashi caressed his face. The expression on his face was so Itachi, he only saw Itachi, couldn’t see Sasuke at all. It had nothing to do with their brotherly resemblance, just the emotion. “I love you so much.”  
  
“I’ve missed you. I should say I sealed my charka in these eyes purely for Sasuke’s benefit, but I also wanted a chance to see you again.”  
  
Kakashi took Itachi’s hand and kissed his palm. It was more calloused than his cremated one, but Itachi could feel Kakashi’s lips and tongue. Sasuke’s body didn’t feel the same way Itachi’s had, but he could feel it and remember.   
  
“Sempai . . .”  
  
Kakashi started rocking his hips into the body beneath him. Itachi was lost in physical sensation and memory, his being still more spiritual than physical; the physical sensation was wild and overwhelming to a mind too long out of touch with regular physical senses. That only made the feeling of Kakashi making love to him more powerful.  
  
But damn, it was Itachi. Every moan and arch of his back so familiar. The taste of him was wrong, but it was him. It was enough to turn a man to religion, to thank a deity, thank someone, anyone, for this. But his god was here in the throes of wanton abandon.   
  
“Itachi, I’ll sell my soul for you. I worship you. My only light.”  
  
Itachi couldn’t even manage to open an eye, but the strangled wail was answer enough. Kakashi kissed him as they both neared their climaxes. Itachi clawed at him, trying to ground himself, finally finding purchase on Kakashi’s shoulders. Kakashi swallowed Itachi’s scream.   
  
Itachi’s body stiffened before going completely slack. As he came down from his own high, Kakashi searched for and found a pulse. Sasuke’s body still gripped him, but the muscles slacked as the waves of endorphins coursed through his blood. Itachi had blacked out. Kakashi had to chuckle. He spooned the limp body and pulled the bedding over them.   
  
Kakashi shut his eyes and was back in Konoha with Itachi napping next to him for just a few hours before he had to escape the village to avoid being discovered. The warm body he touched now was Itachi’s thin one, his ribs just under the surface of his smooth skin.   
  
For a moment, huddled in this illusion, Kakashi let go of his lust for revenge and tried to imagine life with his resurrected lover, just for a moment. He nuzzled the raven hair and that brought him back to reality. Short hair rather than long.   
  
He thought again about what the elders of the village had forced Itachi to do. That impossible choice. Life in exile, being reviled for saving the village, living among the scum of the shinobi world, living with his beloved brother’s loathing, separated from the two people he loved, left to dream only of dying by his brother’s hand, and then ending up as nothing more than a ghost trapped in his brother’s mind. Itachi’s delight in just being able to feel or eat again made Kakashi shudder at what it must be like to be nothing more than a disembodied soul.   
  
 _If he’s cut off from Sasuke’s senses he must be in darkness, not able to feel, hear, see, smell, or taste. It must be a form of hell._  He petted his lover’s head.  _I’ll avenge you, Itachi. I swear it._  
  
Especially underground, the hour before dawn was the coldest. Sasuke shivered and pressed back against Kakashi, waking him. Kakashi pulled the covers more securely around the young man. Sasuke turned into his warm body.  
  
Sasuke or Itachi, Kakashi cuddled him. He’d left some of the candles burning and there were still two that hadn’t guttered. He looked down at the sleeping face trying to press itself deeper into his chest.  _I’ll keep you safe. Both of you._  Kakashi started petting the raven hair again. This woke him up.  
  
He sniffed. “Sempai?”  
  
“Itachi?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Well, I don’t think it’s dawn yet.”  
  
“I’ve been asleep all night? You should have woken me.”  
  
“I didn’t have the heart to. And I fell asleep too.”  
  
“But it was nice. Thank you, Sasuke.”  
  
Kakashi kissed him. “I’ll see you again.”  
  
“Ah.”  
  
Kakashi could see when their souls swapped; Sasuke’s brow tensed, nearly furrowed, and his eyes became harder. It hurt to remember how Sasuke was once able to relax and was not constantly scowling when he was thirteen.   
  
“You and Itachi should have eaten alone.”  
  
“Good morning.”  
  
Sasuke smirked. “That should deflect them about  _our_  relationship.” He closed whatever distance was left between them.  
  
“So, were you eavesdropping the entire time?”  
  
“No, just when I heard Suigetsu’s voice. I was meditating the rest of the time. I listened in while you were out there. Then I went back to meditating.”  
  
“Thank you, Sasuke. That time with him only steeled my resolve to destroy Konoha. They’ll pay for what they did to Itachi.”  
  
Sasuke looked pleased. “You deserve time with him too. We have some time.” He snuggled back down and they slept for another hour before getting up and preparing to leave.   
  
Sasuke knocking on doors like a prison guard to wake the others up. They all noticed he was back to his emotionless, if not ill-tempered, self.  
  
The group took off with clouds overhead, but no immediate threat of rain. They all wore their Akatsuki cloaks against the damp chill. If nothing else, they were warm.  
  
They approached the border. Karin suddenly leaped ahead of them all and stopped with a hand in the air. They were not alone.   
  
“They must have stopped at the border and are waiting in case we hadn’t crossed yet,” Sasuke said in a low voice.   
  
“Well, we did capture their Jinkuiki,” Kakashi said.   
  
“We’ll have to push straight through; they will not follow us into a neighboring country. You’re all free to kill if you need to.”  
  
“Ah.”  
  
“Now you’re talking,” Suigetsu said as he prepared his sword.  
  
“Let’s go.”  
  
The five of them continued on as if they didn’t know about the shinobi waiting for them. They were set upon by just one shinobi. Sasuke tossed a kunai to kill a bird that was being sent off to bring reinforcements, but another one merely lost a few tail feathers.   
  
The one shinobi was nothing to the five of them. But the rest of his team appeared. They tried to move closer to the border with the Frost Country, but Suigetsu was all too eager to fight. The whole team was forced to stop and back him up. And more shinobi were coming.   
  
“So be it,” Sasuke muttered. He cast off his Akatsuki robe and jumped straight into the fray. The air charged with Chidori and the two enemy shinobi were thrown. He let Suigetsu finish them off.   
  
“Chidori won’t work on most of them,” Kakashi commented.   
  
“I’m aware of it. I could see they didn’t have lightening nature. Karin, just hide.”  
  
“I can fight!”  
  
“Karin!”  
  
In a huff, she obeyed, eliminating all traces of her chakra and finding cover.  
  
A fresh wave approached them.   
  
Juugo transformed halfway and the other three prepared. Two full teams arrived. It was a pretty one-sided battle. Sasuke cut through two before they could put up any kind of fight. Juugo pulverized his opponents and Suigetsu cut through his ruthlessly. Kakashi and Sasuke seemed to move in unison, moving at astonishing speed. Sasuke’s sword sometimes sparked with Chidori while Kakashi made do with a pair of kunai.   
  
Karin watched and realized she was no match for any of her own team. She had her specialties, but she was far from the combat specialists these others were. Four to eight, and they won.   
  
“Let’s head for the Frost Country border,” Sasuke called.   
  
Karin came out of hiding and checked for any enemies. “There are four more squads heading this way.”  
  
“We’ll lose them once we’re over the border.”  
  
But they didn’t. The four squads followed them over the border.   
  
“Guess I was wrong,” Sasuke admitted. “Kill them all.”  
  
Sasuke put on a burst of sped as he continued on his path right into a tree he used to rebound and now flew back toward their pursuers. Karin pulled back and hid without being told this time. Leave the slaughter to the experts.   
  
And a slaughter it was. In the end, they left only one alive, but wounded.  
  
“Why are you so zealously pursuing us?” Sasuke asked him. The man wouldn’t answer. Sasuke’s Sharingan was already activated and it only took a moment to enter the man’s mind. After a few seconds, the man fell over, dead.  
  
“The Jinchuiki was the Raikage’s brother.”  
  
“You’re kidding,” Suigetsu said.  
  
“Madara neglected to tell us that,” Kakashi said.  
  
“Let’s move before more come and chase us all the way,” Sasuke said as he secured his cloak.  
  
“The Akatsuki is risking the Five Nations allying against it doing this.”  
  
“That could be troublesome for  _us_.”  
  
Another few hours and they made their way into the Land of Fire. 


	9. Fallen Leaves

Once over the border, Itachi directed Sasuke to the Akatsuki base he mentioned to Kakashi. It took nearly four days to reach the southern border with the River Country. Sasuke and Kakashi were much more comfortably moving through their native land. Sasuke let Itachi take control for the last few miles so he could pinpoint the location better than trying to direct Sasuke to it.   
  
Itachi slowed down until he grew comfortable with Sasuke’s legs and then sped back up. He relished the feel of the wind on his face and the feeling of blood pumping through his body. He chanced closing his eyes to relish  _feeling_  then opened his eyes to take in the beauty of the woods in the morning light. He indulged all his senses in turn. It was like being alive again. Kakashi watched him, knowing instantly when Itachi took over the body.   
  
Kakashi moved to Sasuke/Itachi’s side as they moved. He watched his expression. So innocent. It tore at Kakashi’s heart. His poor, pure, innocent Itachi. Itachi deserved so much more. He wanted to kill someone, preferably someone wearing a leaf headband. It was beginning to make Kakashi angry to see Itachi and calmer to see his evil little brother.   
  
Itachi retreated once he let them into the base.   
  
“This one looks more used,” Juugo commented.   
  
“We’re lucky so many of the Akatsuki are dead or we’d have to worry about meeting them in these bases,” Sasuke said. “We’re supposed to be allies, but I don’t trust them.”  
  
 _Nor should you,_  Itachi interjected.   
  
Sasuke directed the others as he had before, but he joined Kakashi automatically this time.  
  
 _Give me some time,_  Itachi asked.  
  
“Fine,” Sasuke said out loud. They switched.  
  
Itachi went to a drawer with a seal tag on it. Itachi made a few hand sighs and released it. He opened it and pulled out the stack of clothing, armor, and his sword. He deposited it on the bed.  
  
“This is everything I brought with me when I fled Konoha. Use it if you can.” Itachi relinquished control.  
  
“He left quickly.”  
  
“He’s tired. I don’t think he liked touching that stuff.” Sasuke sat down next to the pile. Kakashi sat on the other side.  
  
Sasuke reverently picked up the kodachi. He pulled the blade from the sheath half way. The blade was clean, but when he looked closer at the guard and the hilt, he saw stains of blood. He felt ill. He pushed the blade back in to the sheath.   
  
“It’s all stained with my clan’s blood.”  
  
“The village is the one to blame, not Itachi.”  
  
“I know.” Sasuke handed the sword to Kakashi. “You used a kodachi when you were in ANBU, right? Use it. Use it for our revenge. And his armor. If it’ll fit.”  
  
Kakashi picked up the shirt and raised it up to look at it.  _Tiny, little Itachi. My little raven._  He set the too-small shirt aside and looked over the armor. “I can wear these.”  
  
“I’ll contact Madara tomorrow. I want to start my revenge.”  
  
\-----  
  
Madara had taught Sasuke how to contact him when he kidnapped him.   
  
“We’re still sealing the Hachibi,” Madara told him. “Without your brother, Kisame, Hidan, Kakazu, and Deidera, it’s taking much longer. I will dispatch Pein and Konan to Konoha once we’re finished, we will have possession of the Kyuubi within a week.”  
  
“I’m not just going to sit here,” Sasuke told him. “I’ll scout out their defenses and maybe take out a few. No one knows we’re with Akatsuki.”  
  
“Fine, have fun.” Madara was slightly exasperated, but knew he couldn’t expect an Uchiha to just sit tight and wait for someone else to lead an attack.   
  
In their current hideout, Sasuke opened his eyes and stood. “You three, you’ll stay here. Kakashi, you and I will scout Konoha. Akatsuki will not be attacking for a week. We’re also free to kill as many leaf shinobi as we like.”  
  
Karin looked at Kakashi, expecting him to demure at killing his former comrades, but Kakashi’s one visible eye seemed to be smiling.  
  
\-----  
  
Kakashi and Sasuke scouted the area around Konoha separately. South of the village, Kakashi came across a team he never anticipated: Team Gai. They were resting after a training exercise. Kakashi was torn between attacking and slinking away, but Neji was always too attentive. He stood up and looked right at him. It seemed Neji was having a similar conflict: should he tell his team who was hiding near them or let the Jounin go?   
  
He made his choice.   
  
Neji crouched in his gentle fist attack posture. “Gai-sensei.” The other three stood and all readied themselves.  
  
No use hiding. Kakashi dropped down behind the bushes and sauntered out. None but Gai had ever seen him in anything but his Jounin uniform so this darker non-Konoha outfit augmented by some pieces of ANBU armor gave the younger shinobi pause. They also noticed the slashed Konoha headband.  
  
“Yo.”  
  
“Kakashi?” Gai said disbelieving. “They said you were dead.”  
  
“I’m supposed to be.” He looked at Neji. “You know, don’t you? They told you, but not your captain.”  
  
“What are you talking about?” Gai asked.  
  
“Hatake Kakashi is a missing-nin,” Neji answered. “He’s in the Bingo Book and under the sentence of death in Konoha.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Treason.”  
  
“Treason? I can’t believe it.”  
  
“Consorting with the enemy: Uchiha Itachi.”  
  
“Itachi?”  
  
Kakashi waved his hands in his customary conciliatory way to quiet the pair down. “I can clear this up quite quickly.” Three Chidori Hounds rushed Neji, Lee, and TenTen, followed by another blur of hand signs. Three clones attacked the students, while Kakashi remained in front of the unmolested Gai.   
  
“Kakashi?”  
  
“Sasuke and I will destroy Konoha. Just your luck that Neji spotted me.”  
  
“I don’t understand.”  
  
“Should I take the time to explain it to you? With your students fighting for their lives, do you have time to talk about this?”  
  
“I can’t believe you, the student of the Forth, would betray us. Itachi? Sasuke? None of it makes sense.”  
  
“Let’s see if I can explain it to you.” Kakashi attacked, using taijutsu only while his clones attacked the other three without restraint. “It began eight years ago,” Kakashi began as he fought, no change in his normal laid back tone. “I was in ANBU with Uchiha Itachi.” Kakashi waited until the moment his words would be the most distracting. “We became lovers.”  
  
Gai froze before he could land a substantial hit, instead Kakashi landed a blow.   
  
“But he would have only been twelve.”  
  
“Thirteen. Soon after, he killed his clan and disappeared. Four years ago, he returns and fights you, me, Asuma, and Kurenai. There was nothing between us then, we were enemies. A month later, Sasuke runs off to Orochimaru. Itachi comes to me personally to berate me for losing his brother. He still loved Sasuke and me. We became lovers once again. One month ago, he and I were caught in a . . . compromising position inside Konoha. I pushed him out the window to force him to flee. I was sentenced to death. Itachi returned to save me, but Itachi died hours later of an illness that had been killing him for some time and the world died with him. I joined Sasuke as a missing-nin. And then we learned the truth.” Again he waited until his words would be the most distracting. “The village elders ordered Itachi to slaughter his clan.” Gai tripped up and paid for it.   
  
“But maybe it all began with my father,” Kakashi resumed conversationally. “Scorned by the village he served until he could no longer take the dishonor and killed himself. The village killed him.” TenTen cried out as Kakashi’s clone riddled the girl with four shrunken. Lee cried out to her as she fell. Kakashi’s clone hit her with Chidori as she lay there helpless. Kakashi’s voice continued relentlessly. “Konoha sent a trio of children out during a war; children not mature enough to handle battle. Obito died. Then Rin died. Then Minato-sensei died. Then Itachi was forced to kill his own parents and abandon his home, his lover. Konoha has taken all I ever loved. All Sasuke ever loved. We’ve chosen revenge.”  
  
Kakashi didn’t flinch, but he felt Sasuke’s presence behind and above him. He was watching. Neji noticed him too, but he was too involved with the clone facing him.  
  
“Kakashi,” Gai growled. “How could you turn against the entire village? Against me? Weren’t we friends?”  
  
“You’re already dead to me. These three are already dead to me. The village is already dead to me.”  
  
“What would the Forth think of this? He gave his life to protect Konoha.”  
  
“Minato is already dead. I’ve already resigned myself to his displeasure.” He thought about that one look Minato had given him after Rin’s death. He was sympathetic at first, but as he turned away, Kakashi saw a different expression. Disappointment? Kakashi would never know for sure. He had already failed his sensei; he’d failed to protect Obito, he failed to protect Rin. He truly did not care what Minato thought of him now. Another father who had abandoned him.  
  
Kakashi stopped, looked right over at Lee and sent a massive Chidori Hound at him. There was nothing Gai could do, the hound moving faster than he ever could. The boy Gai loved like a son couldn’t even cry out, dead before he hit the ground.  
  
Gai screamed in rage rather than sorrow, turned, and threw a kunai into the back of the clone facing Neji. “Neji! Get back to the village, warn the Hokage!”  
  
Neji didn’t hesitate. Kakashi delivered a kick to Gai’s already turned head and snapped his neck.  
  
Sasuke seemed to float to the ground. He unsheathed his sword, unhurried. He walked up to Lee and stuck the point of his blade straight down into his throat. He went over and did the same to TenTen, then to Gai.   
  
“Perhaps we should kill the Hyuuga as well?” Sasuke asked.  
  
“Perhaps. The death of the most talented Hyuuga will shake them.”  
  
\-----  
  
Neji flew through the trees at top speed; certain he could outrun the two missing-nins. The village was just a mile away. He put on an extra burst of speed.  
  
Sasuke appeared standing on the underside of a branch, his sword sheathed. Neji skidded to a stop on a lower branch.  
  
“I never had the pleasure of fighting you in the chunin exams,” Sasuke said coolly.  
  
Neji sensed Kakashi land on a branch behind him. This wasn’t about winning, Neji just needed to evade them. These two were not so foolish as to cross into the village where ANBU would be on them within seconds. Neji judged Sasuke to be the more difficult opponent. Strike Kakashi who’s already used up a great deal of chakra, then he just had to evade Sasuke and his damn eyes.   
  
Neji turned and attacked Kakashi. He relied on his 360 vision to warn him if Sasuke attacked him. Sasuke leapt, but it was straight up, probably to move around to a better angle to attack from.   
  
As Kakashi and Neji fought, Kakashi leapt back as a kunai nearly thrust completely out of the younger man’s chest. Neji staggered and put a hand to the bloody point sticking out of his chest.   
  
Sasuke’s cold voice came from behind him. “The advantage of having an ally who is former ANBU.”  
  
“We know the Hyuuga blind spot,” Kakashi finished.  
  
Sasuke was suddenly right behind him, but that didn’t concern the young Jounin anymore. He was dead, he knew it. Sasuke grabbed Neji’s long hair. “You and I should have either been rivals or friends. I regret not being able to fight you, but we don’t really have the time.” Sasuke slit the Hyuuga’s throat.   
  
Dead, Sasuke callously moved the body to the broader part of the branch they were perched on. He straddled Neji’s body, removed and tossed the headband away, then carved the leaf symbol into his forehead, finishing it off with a deep vicious cut that scored his skull. Sasuke moved and cut off Neji’s shirt, leaving his chest bare. Sasuke proceeded to carve the Uchiha crest into skin upside down. He pealed the skin away to form the top red hemisphere of the fan. Done, Kakashi helped Sasuke hang Neji’s upside down so that the crest was right side up, a clear sign to the village.  
  
“That should put the fear of god in the village,” Sasuke said calmly.  
  
“I think a bunch of dead ANBU would shake them even more,” Kakashi suggested.   
  
Sasuke smiled maliciously.   
  
\-----  
  
ANBU lived up to their reputation. Sasuke caught only one in his genjutsu, the others capable of avoiding his eyes. Kakashi kept his eye covered, knowing the risk of using it too much.   
  
The problem was ANBU had the same advantage they’d had with Neji: ANBU knew the strengths and weakness of all the shinobi in the village. It served them well here, but not well enough.   
  
One ANBU in a cat mask was concentrating on taijutsu and then broke ranks to report the situation back to the Hokage as Neji tried to do. But a kunai through the leg brought him to the ground. Only two other ANBU remained. The fallen ANBU finally chose to use ninjutsu. Wood element. Kakashi and Sasuke hacked through it with their Chidoris without even missing a beat in their fights with the last two mobile ANBU. Sasuke sent a second kunai sparking with Chidori at Yamato, this time striking him in the shoulder. Despite the two wounds, Yamato forced himself up and tried to run, but his leg wound brought him down again. He tried again with his wood element as Sasuke defeated his opponent. The wood stood no change against Chidori.   
  
Kakashi killed the last of them. Sasuke walked around stabbing every man’s throat after using his sword’s point to damask them. Kakashi landed on the ground not far from Yamato and sauntered up to him.  
  
“Tenzo. I’m disappointed in you. Didn’t put up much of a fight.”  
  
“A friend of yours?” Sasuke asked, coming up behind Kakashi, his sword held causally in his hand.  
  
“You could say that.”   
  
Sasuke tossed half a dozen Chidori senbon at Yamato’s mask which shattered, but left his face undamaged.  
  
“Oh, it’s you.”  
  
“He’s Naruto’s guardian, my substitute on our old team, and my subordinate in ANBU.”  
  
“Kakashi-Senpai, why?”  
  
Kakashi crouched near him. “Which ‘why?’ Why I became a missing-nin, or why did we just decimate a squad of the most elite shinobi of Konoha? Or why did I not just kill you?” Yamato couldn’t answer. “Well, let’s take it one by one. Konoha’s killed, one way or another, every person I’ve ever cared about. We are declaring war on Konoha. I decided, being Naruto’s wet nurse, to use you as a messenger. We will destroy Konoha and kill every person in it. You let the Hokage know.” Kakashi’s voice became icy hard. “And tell the elders, you tell them yourself and see their reactions, if they are still capable of fear or guilt, you tell them, Sasuke and I will avenge Itachi’s sacrifice and his death. They will die at our hands but not before we immerse them and the village in the utter depths of hell.”  
  
Yamato couldn’t miss the Sharingan blazing in Sasuke’s eyes and knew it must be blazing behind the scored Konoha headband.   
  
“What about Naruto and Sakura?”  
  
“Come what may. They will have their chance to flee or defend themselves.”   
  
Kakashi stood and Sasuke came up and put his arms around him, one arm over his shoulder, the other around his waist, his head leaned against his arm. It was a very familiar and intimate pose. More telling was how Kakashi didn’t react at all to Sasuke’s familiar actions.  
  
“You have warning,” Sasuke said. “Those who wish to live can flee and hope we don’t track them down. It’s not like we’ll be bringing an army.”  
  
“Just four of us.” Kakashi and Sasuke had decided that Karin would not have the stomach or strength to fight, but would be used as a medical-nin and to find the elders in the chaos. “Surely a great hidden village like Konoha will not be brought to its knees by four shinobi. As much as I want to kill every one of you, I like the idea of the inhabitants of Konoha fleeing like children.”  
  
“We should head back.” Sasuke drew back from his lover.  
  
Kakashi was about to turn and follower, but stopped.“Oh, Gai and his team are dead in the forest to the south of the village. Might want to clean that up.”  
  
The pair vanished.  
  
\-----  
  
Yamato was pale from more than blood loss when Tsunade arrived in his hospital room.  
  
“My Lady.”  
  
“Leave us!” she ordered the nurses and shinobi. “Kakashi and Sasuke?”  
  
“Yes, my lady. They said they were going to attack the village.”  
  
“I can’t believe it. Not even of Kakashi now. Sasuke I never knew, but Kakashi? And where is Itachi?”  
  
“Kakashi said he was dead. He gave me a message to give to the elders. He told me to tell them myself.”  
  
“What did he say?”  
  
“’Sasuke and I will avenge Itachi’s sacrifice and his death. They,’ the elders, ‘will die at our hands but not before we immerse them and the village in the utter depths of hell.’”  
  
“I’ll want a complete and detailed report on everything they said and did. As soon as you’re stable, you can deliver the message.”  
  
“Yes, my lady. Is it true about Gai and his team?”  
  
“They were all killed, some by Chidori. They were all stabbed in the throat as were all the ANBU you were with.”  
  
“Sasuke did that.”  
  
“It looks like a purposeful desecration, wounding them after they were already dead; they didn’t need to do that to ensure they were dead. I can’t believe they could become so callous. And then, there’s what they did to Neji.” Yamato wasn’t sure he wanted to hear. She described the desecration. “Today’s events were a declaration of war.”  
  
“Kakashi . . . He . . . Part of him is dead. I knew him, my lady. That wasn’t the man I knew.”  
  
“He and Itachi were lovers; that’s why he left the village. If Itachi is dead . . . But we didn’t kill him. I would know if any of our shinobi killed him.”  
  
“I think it was more than Itachi. And why would Sasuke go along for the sake of his brother?”  
  
“I don’t know. I wonder if we ever really knew them. Sasuke I can understand him turning traitor; I never really knew him. But for Kakashi to turn on us so completely. I believed him when he swore he never betrayed us to Itachi or Akatsuki. But now . . . Something must have happened to him. Maybe Sasuke’s influence?”  
  
“It was no secret Sasuke was always his favorite. If anyone could influence him, it would be Sasuke. You see the influence he has over Naruto and Sakura without being here physically.”  
  
“Do you think they should be told?”  
  
“Sakura knows Kakashi is not dead. I think they need to be told. Sasuke is lost. And so is Kakashi. There is no way they can be forgiven now. ANBU must be sent, to kill them.”  
  
“Ah. I’ve already sent two squads of ANBU after them. I don’t want to tell those two. They won’t believe it.”  
  
“My lady, there’s something else.”   
  
 _How could it get any worse?_  Tsunade thought. She waited for him to continue.  
  
“I believe they are lovers.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“The way Sasuke put his arms around Kakashi and that Kakashi seemed comfortable with that . . . I’m sure they’re lovers.”  
  
\-----  
  
They were both high on their victory. They had slaughtered a dozen of Konoha’s best shinobi without a single wound, not an injury to speak of. On the way back they stopped and fucked against a tree they were so high on adrenaline.   
  
Sasuke let Kakashi take him roughly, the bark of the tree biting through his clothes, clawing at his skin, leaving bloody streams on his back. He didn’t care. Before Kakashi could finish either of them off, Sasuke pushed Kakashi away. Kakashi obediently fell onto his back. Sasuke plunged into his lover without any preparation. For both of them, pain had mingled with pleasure before they ever became lovers. Pain meant you were alive, that you were still human, though now they were beyond that, only feeling the extra endorphins that flowed in response to the pain.   
  
Sasuke felt Konoha shinobi approaching. He didn’t stop thrusting his hips violently into Kakashi’s.   
  
“Why won’t they come already,” Sasuke growled. “I want to kill them too. Blood sacrifices to our alter of grief and revenge.”  
  
Kakashi pulled Sasuke’s head down the last two inches to kiss him wetly and slovenly. “I love you.”  
  
“I love you.”   
  
Kakashi wondered—with the very small part of his brain that wasn’t addled with painful pleasure—why the other shinobi hadn’t found them yet. Powerful, hedonistic chakra was peeling off them like solar flares breaking free of their magnetic confines and flinging themselves into the abyss. Perhaps the chakra was so powerful and wild they were afraid to come any closer.   
  
“Come on already,” Sasuke grunted getting close to his orgasm. “I could fucking kill them quickly like this, but if they wait for me to cum, they won’t get a quick death. I want to fuck you in a pool of their guilty, sullied blood.”  
  
The mental image of blood smeared all over Sasuke pale body, smeared randomly or like war paint, brought Kakashi to a mind blowing orgasm. He took Sasuke with him. Sasuke gasped, took a second to catch his breath, then growled. He picked up his Akatsuki cloak and his sword. Kakashi mimicked him. They lunged, naked under their cloaks into the fray. Sasuke made good on his promise; many of the ANBU lingered before they died. Sasuke once again stripped them all of their masks and stabbed even the dead in the throat.   
  
Kakashi surprised him by ripping Sasuke’s cloak from his naked body and pushing him down onto a dead, bloody body. He caressed the Uchiha’s smooth pale body with blood stained hands, leaving crimson trails that matched his Sharingan eyes. He stroked Sasuke’s cheeks, creating the illusion the Uchiha was weeping tears of blood.  
  
“You are as beautiful as your brother. So lovely.”  
  
“I was the one who was supposed to fuck you in a pool of blood.”  
  
“Who’s stopping you?”  
  
Sasuke snapped the clasp of Kakashi’s cloak, pulled it off, then spun their bodies around so that Kakashi was now lying on the still warm body. The activity had reawakened Sasuke erection. He scooped up some blood from the body’s open wounds and used it to coat his length.   
  
He entered Kakashi a lot lest franticly this time. He moved at a leisurely pace that contrasted with everything else that day. He also ran his blood stained hands over Kakashi’s pale chest, running his fingers over his exposed ribs.  _So thin_ , Sasuke thought. He was without body fat as well, but he was filled out with more muscle than Kakashi. He followed the light tailing of his fingers with nails drawing blood. Six bloody lines appeared and added more blood to his body.  
  
As Sasuke moved inside his lover, he traced his family crest over Kakashi’s breastbone. He filled in the top crescent. “You belong to us, after all. Body and soul.”  
  
“Forever.”  
  
Sasuke ran his bloody fingers through Kakashi’s while hair. “We’ll being going to hell together. Maybe Itachi can escape. You and I could take over hell. We can slaughter and subjugate all those who’ve wrong us and Itachi. The Uchiha probably rule hell anyway.”  
  
“My prince.”  
  
Sasuke leaned forward to kiss him in a slower version of their earlier kiss, disgustingly wet and loud as they sucked at the other’s mouths.   
  
One ANBU was not dead, missed by Sasuke systematic desecration. He watched enthralled by the twisted, yet loving relationship. He was as disgusted as he was aroused. He decided to get out of there while they were distracted. A voice arrested him.  
  
“I think you get your wish, Sasuke,” Kakashi said conversationally. The ANBU was sure he knew what Kakashi was talking about; there was something in Kakashi’s inflection that suggested he was talking to a third party as much as to Sasuke. The ANBU knew Kakashi hadn’t moved and, from the tremor in his voice, Sasuke was still fucking him. They had not yet moved to stop him. Did they know where he was? Should he freeze or flee? He took too long to debate.   
  
“Enjoy the show?” Sasuke asked from right behind him. It was like he could feel Sasuke’s breath on his neck, but it was just the puckering of his skin at the close sound. He didn’t move, resisting the urge to turn his head. He quickly took stock of his weapons and prepared to turn and kill the bloodstained young man.  
  
He turned with his kunai ready to impale the missing-nin, but Sasuke was gone. Right next to his ear came the word, “Boo.”  
  
He whipped back around to Sasuke’s face, but a kunai was stabbed into his throat. Sasuke peeled off the mask. The nameless ANBU died looking into Sasuke’s red eyes.   
  
“Too late,” Sasuke said. “Not in a killing frenzy anymore.” He wiped off a few drops of semen he had already shot into Kakashi before he leapt off after this man and smeared those drops on the man’s cooling cheek.   
  
“I’m spent,” Sasuke said as he went back to Kakashi who had also cum. “Let’s head home.”  
  
\-----  
  
The pair decided to spend the night in the forest and bathed in a river to remove the blood from their bodies before they rejoined the rest of their team tomorrow. They were both completely spent and did not even look at each other in a sexual way while they bathed. Sasuke did stare at Kakashi while Kakashi emerged from the cold water and he lay still nude on the grass. He admired the six lines he’d gouged earlier with his fingernails, proud of the marks he left on his lover, marks of possession.  
  
“I’ve always like the way your hair looked when all wet like that,” Sasuke said. “Ever since Zabuza dunked you on our first real mission. Your hair looks so good hanging over your headband.”  
  
“My hair’s always been untamable, like a shinobi I know.” Kakashi smirked at him.   
  
Sasuke chuckled contentedly. This really was the most content he’d felt since . . . he was eight? Maybe not even then. No brother to hunt down, sexually satisfied, and letting go of any restraint on his Uchiha bloodlust . . . he was content. They were happy. Of course throwing away their consciences helped. They felt no remorse and had no regrets at all.  
  
“Maybe use some oil to keep it looking like that.”  
  
“Anything for you, Sasuke. I never really cared since I could never do anything but cut it.”  
  
“Never cut it.”  
  
Kakashi sat down next to him and laid his head on Sasuke’s stomach. Sasuke petted his hair affectionately. The rest of their lives could be like this after they finished their revenge. With no specter of revenge looming around them, they could truly be content, even truly happy.   
  
Sasuke only meant to shut his eyes for a moment, but fell into a peaceful asleep. Kakashi didn’t remove Sasuke’s stilled hand from his head. He listened to Sasuke’s breathing and heartbeat. So alive. He felt the puncture wounds on his tongue from Sasuke’s toothy kisses. He ran the wounds over the points of his teeth. The pain just reminded him of how he got them. He was at the point he couldn’t imagine life without the evil little Uchiha.


	10. The First Attack on Konoha

Though nothing was said between the two groups, Sasuke’s team was beginning to suspect that there was more to Sasuke and Kakashi’s relationship. They spent almost all their time together and they never slept apart. The three of them were sure Itachi wasn’t around that often.  
  
In their private room, it was Sasuke, not Itachi who looked down at Kakashi as he rode his hips. Kakashi rested his hands on Sasuke’s thin hips—so much like his brother’s—and resisted pulling Sasuke down onto his cock every time Sasuke slowly lifted himself up.  
  
Their bodies were addicting. And every time they touched, every time they had sex, the addiction grew stronger until they were obsessed with the other. They could never part, they were forever conjoined by their mutual hate and grief and obsession. And, perhaps, love. Time could only tell whether they truly loved each other. Neither cared at this point; the obsession, the lust, the trust, the mutual pain, and the contentment of being close to someone else overrode all. They didn’t even ask themselves if they really loved the other or if the other loved him. It didn’t matter.   
  
Sasuke collapsed glassy eyed like an addict after a fix, his own cum running down his soft cock, the rest splashed artlessly on Kakashi’s stomach and chest. It was the only thing keeping them sane while they waited. For three days none of them went above ground; ANBU was sure to be searching for them.   
  
Kakashi wasn’t satisfied. He licked the trail of cum from Sasuke’s cock and took the soft, sensitive flesh into his mouth. Sasuke tried to say something, but it came out as incoherent mumbling. Kakashi ignored him. He put a finger into Sasuke’s ass. Sasuke was still loose and he could feel his cum lining his inners.   
  
Kakashi moved down to mouth Sasuke’s testicles. He ran his teeth over them and sucked them into his mouth. He grabbed Sasuke’s ass cheeks to raise him up and licked at the still relaxed, gaping hole. Sasuke made a noise Kakashi had no word for deep in his throat. Sasuke’s entire body was limp and open to Kakashi’s manipulation. No where near as long as Orochimaru’s, Kakashi nevertheless had a long tongue which just managed to nudge Sasuke’s prostate. He sucked at the rim even as his rough tongue caressed his inner walls.   
  
Kakashi lowered Sasuke’s body back to the bed and intended to enter him again. But Sasuke’s lethargy vanished. He turned on him and slammed Kakashi down on his stomach. Sasuke growled.   
  
“You don’t know when to stop, do you?”  
  
“Apparently not.”  
  
Sasuke let his saliva drip down onto Kakashi’s not as well used entrance. With no more than that, Sasuke slid in. It burned and was painfully tight for both of them, but neither made to stop. Sasuke’s longer thighs gave him leverage, but his head only reached Kakashi’s upper back. He lay forward on him, one hand tight on Kakashi’s shoulder, the other held against his stomach.  
  
Sasuke grabbed Kakashi’s cock as he neared his climax and pulled him to release at the same time. Sasuke lay on top of him for a minute. He rolled off and allowed Kakashi to curl up next to him, using his chest as a pillow. They both ignored the wetness on the sheets and their bodies, falling asleep like that in Itachi’s bed.  
  
The next day, they felt it was safe to go above ground again. They trained. Tedious. So Sasuke and Kakashi went hunting shinobi, even non Konoha shinobi. They often came home splattered with blood, sometimes with it smeared artfully on their visible—and not visible—skin. They did hide the other bodily fluids on their bodies.  
  
\-----  
  
Madara said he would have possession of the Kyuubi within a week. They received no word from him, but they decided to attack Konoha seven days after Sasuke last spoke with Madara.  
  
Knowing there were two missing-nins intending to attack who would know how to cross the barrier around the village, the barrier was changed. The ones monitoring the barrier were instantly aware of four people entering from the south just after sunset. Karin remained behind to monitor her fellows and was to go help any of them if they were injured.   
  
Juugo fully transformed and rampaged, Suigetsu was more than happy to have any restriction lifted and killed gleefully, and Sasuke and Kakashi remained within a few meters of each other and began systematically moving from the south wall through the village.   
  
The four of them cut through ANBU almost as easily as the civilians. Many still believed Kakashi had been killed on a mission and froze at seeing a ghost. They were killed before they could comprehend the truth.   
  
Rather than the mounting feeling of guilt with every person he killed Kakashi sometimes used to get as a member of ANBU, both he and Sasuke felt a weight lift away with every death. The heaviness of sorrow and betrayal lightened.   
  
They cut down friends and acquaintances without a thought. Juugo was blind to what he was doing and Suigetsu enjoyed the carnage. Death spread faster than a flame in a pile of dry leaves.   
  
Real resistance took time to come to them; night fell fully by the time it did. The Akamuchi clan came up against Juugo, Suigetsu found himself facing a group of ANBU swordsmen, and the final pair were confronted by the last person they expected.  
  
“Naruto,” Sasuke said in a chillingly unaffected voice.   
  
“Sasuke? Kakashi-sensei?” Naruto said in shock.  
  
“Madara was supposed to take care of him,” Kakashi said. “You can control the Kyuubi, can’t you Sasuke?”  
  
“I can suppress his power, but I’ve never attempted to control him.” Something occurred to him. “I’m such an idiot. I probably could have done the same with the Hachibi and saved us all that effort. I doubt the Sharingan only works on the Kyuubi.”  
  
“Ha, probably. Be that as it may, should we pull back and wait for Madara?”  
  
“Will you stop talking to each other?!” Naruto yelled. “Tell me what’s going on! They told me you were dead, Kakashi-sensei. And Sasuke, why?”  
  
Karin arrived behind them. “Juugo and Suigetsu had run up against strong resistance.”  
  
“I guess we pull back.”  
  
“Ah,” Sasuke agreed. “I’ll retrieve Juugo,” Sasuke said as if Naruto had not said anything. “You and Karin retrieve Suigetsu. Destroy any pursuit. We’ll meet at the rendezvous point.”  
  
“Ah.”  
  
The pair turned to look away from Naruto. Naruto was confused, then looked in the same direction just in time to see a pink blur. Sakura was flying at the pair with intent to kill. But Sakura was no match for them. Sasuke caught her wrist effortlessly, ran a current of Chidori through her arm. He turned her and grabbed her other hand, holding it against the small of her back, released the one now temporarily paralyzed, then pulled a kunai and pressed it against her neck. He did it all in one fluid motion and within a second. Naruto lurched, but stopped himself from moving. Kakashi bent forward to look her straight in the eye.  
  
“Run.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“If you want to live, run. Abandon the village and you will live. When we come back, we will destroy everything.”  
  
A number of other shinobi arrived around them, but they hesitated seeing Sakura being held hostage.  
  
“Why? Why let me live?”  
  
“We can’t bring ourselves to kill a student,” Kakashi said.  
  
“Or a teammate,” Sasuke continued.  
  
“Then let me come with you,” she asked in a low voice. She was forced to look at Kakashi, but they both knew she was speaking to Sasuke.  
  
“You do not truly know loss,” Sasuke said. “You can never follow us. Stay and die, or become a missing-nin and live. Konoha will all die when we return.”  
  
“Why destroy the village? I can’t understand why you would do this? Especially you, Kakashi-sensei.”  
  
“Revenge for Itachi,” Sasuke said lowly with the first emotion Sakura had heard in his voice.   
  
“Ask Yamato about it,” Kakashi said, “if he’s still alive, or your precious Hokage.”  
  
“Sakura, I was sincere when I thanked you before I left. You wanted to take my pain, but that is impossible.”  
  
They were gone.  
  
\-----  
  
Wanting to avoid leading Konoha to their current home, the group ran to the west. They came to one of Orochimaru’s hideouts. Once underground, Sasuke contacted Madara.  
  
“We need to talk, where are you?”  
  
Madara broke the connection and appeared in front of the group.   
  
“What is it?”  
  
“Why haven’t you taken care of the Kyuubi?” Sasuke demanded.  
  
“It takes time for Pein to move into position. He is on his way.”  
  
“We attacked the village. We’ve at least decreased resistance.”  
  
“Have fun?”  
  
“Yes actually, but we had to pull back.”  
  
“No causalities?”  
  
“None. Only a few scratches.”  
  
“Impressive.” Madara raked his eyes over the small group. “Hatake.” Kakashi nodded to him.  
  
“I’m certain of him,” Sasuke said. “When will you have the Kyuubi? I want to decimate that village without having to worry about a giant demon fox getting loose.”  
  
Madara allowed his gaze to shift back to Sasuke. “I will let you know.”  
  
Sasuke waved the others to leave, even Kakashi. Once they were alone, Sasuke sighed. “I’m sorry, Madara. I didn’t mean to snipe at you. I just really wanted revenge for my brother. You can understand that, can’t you? I am sorry. I don’t want to antagonize you. We’re all that’s left of the Uchiha. Truth is I look up to you, like I did my brother. Forgive me.”  
  
Madara stared at Sasuke; he hadn’t expected that. All he really saw was the imperious brat once he recovered from the shock of his revelations. It had occurred to Madara before, but never so strongly as now, how much Sasuke looked like Izuna.   
  
“I can understand your impatience.”  
  
“I’m hoping that once Konoha is destroyed and you have possession of the Kyuubi, maybe we can both, you know, be something of a family. We’re all we have left.”  
  
Madara’s eye softened.  _Izuna . . ._  “That is possible.”  
  
Sasuke gave him a small smile. “It’s something to look forward to, beyond revenge. I will avenge my brother and yours too. The Senju and Konoha are to blame for both of them.”  
  
Madara nodded. “Be careful, Sasuke.”  
  
“I will.”  
  
Madara vanished.  
  
Karin indicated to the others when Madara left. She hesitantly opened the door to find Sasuke hadn’t moved.   
  
“He will alert us when Pein captures the Kyuubi. We’ll finish it then.”  
  
“Are we staying here tonight?” Kakashi asked.  
  
“I personally can make it back to our base without stopping, but I doubt we all could. We’ll stay until morning; treat any wounds you need to. Be careful about the rooms here; Orochimaru and Kabuto liked to leave surprises.”  
  
He nodded and dismissed them. Kakashi remained. Sasuke lead him to his old room in this hideout.   
  
“I’m not tired,” Sasuke told him.  
  
“Then we’ll have to find a way to occupy you.”  
  
\-----  
  
Sakura was too distracted to be of any help when dealing with the casualties. Most of them were dead anyway. She and Naruto were sitting against the wall of the Hokage’s office while she was off surveying the damage. Wind whistled passed the broken windows of the Hokage tower. Juugo had hit buildings with his transformation and sent debris flying even this far.   
  
Tsunade burst in, enraged. The door bounced off the wall and almost hit Yamato behind her. Shizune came in after him and shut the door softly.   
  
“Have they both gone completely insane?” Tsunade asked no one in particular.  
  
“I’m certain Kakashi has,” Yamato said. “I don’t even think genjutsu has anything to do with it. Damn Itachi.”  
  
“Itachi?” Naruto hadn’t heard a word about Itachi. “And you told me Kakashi-sensei was killed on a mission.”  
  
“It was better than the truth,” Tsunade said. “Kakashi was sentenced to death for treason. He was about to be executed when his lover rescued him and they fled.” Tsunade hit her desk with both hands, breaking it. “If I had known about Itachi, this would never have happened! Those old bats! They didn’t see fit to tell me, the Hokage! They are just as guilty for this catastrophe,” she growled.   
  
Shizune briefly explained everything including the fact it was Kakashi and Sasuke who killed Gai’s team.   
  
“They also killed four ANBU platoons,” Yamato added.  
  
Tsunade was calm now. “I’ve also received information that they were likely the ones who kidnapped the Raikage’s brothers as members of Akatsuki. He was a Jinchuriki. They are both international criminals: S Class. There’s not even a capture order; it’s kill on sight. I’m sorry, Naruto, Sakura. They’re both lost.”  
  
“If I could just—”  
  
Yamato interrupted Naruto. “There’s nothing you can do. Even if you could bring them back to their senses, they can’t be forgiven. They will be executed no matter what.”  
  
Naruto bent forward. “Why? Why can’t I save anyone I care about?” Sakura put a hand onto the sobbing boy’s back.   
  
“They were never your responsibility,” Shizune said.  
  
Naruto shook his head.  
  
\-----  
  
Sasuke was standing, bracing himself against the wall at arm’s length while Kakashi took him from behind. He pressed back onto Kakashi, but Kakashi was using too much force; Sasuke’s arms couldn’t take it anymore and Kakashi slammed him into the wall, pressing the side of his face into the wall. Sasuke growled at him, but any anger was quickly forgotten as they got closer to climax.   
  
Kakashi decided he didn’t like this position because Sasuke was silent when he came. Sasuke turned and slid down the wall to collapse.   
  
“Tired yet?” Kakashi asked.  
  
Sasuke hummed contentedly. Kakashi offered him a hand and pulled him up. Sasuke accepted and his arms snaked around Kakashi’s neck and Kakashi wrapped his arms around Sasuke’s waist and looked down into his black eyes. Sasuke’s eyes were glassy from afterglow. He stared up—a little unfocused—into Kakashi’s gray eye rather than his Sharingan.   
  
“I fuck you next time.”  
  
“As you wish.”  
  
Kakashi had to crane his neck a little to kiss the shorter man, but Sasuke made an effort to meet him halfway. Even sleepy and content, Sasuke snapped at Kakashi’s tongue, drawing a drop of blood. Sasuke grew heavier in his arms and he practically dragged Sasuke to the bed and laid him out.   
  
“Goodnight, Sasuke.” Sasuke was already out.


	11. The Second Attack on Konoha

The next day, Sasuke’s group made their way toward the Akatsuki waypoint near the River country.   
  
Sasuke decided to give Itachi control for a while. His relish in it was the same as before and it tore at Kakashi’s heart even as it made him angry. Itachi grew tired and retreated by pausing briefly on a branch. Sasuke immediately assumed his usual scowl and set off again. Kakashi realized it made Sasuke angry too.  
  
Kakashi kept his promise once they were back in their home base near the border with the River Country. As if in retribution for the way they had sex last time, Sasuke pulled Kakashi onto Itachi’s bed to kiss him while they were still sitting on their knees then Sasuke shoved him against the wall the bed stood against. Kakashi braced himself against the wall, wise enough to lean forward on it.  
  
Sasuke’s pressed in behind him, feeling his body and rubbing his erection up and down his crack. He racked his upper teeth down a shoulder blade before gently lapping at the lightly reddened flesh.   
  
Then Sasuke uncapped the lube, putting a dollop on his finger. The cold substance pressed to his hot entrance made Kakashi jump slightly.   
  
“It’s been nearly a week since I took you, hasn’t it?” Sasuke asked. “Wonder how tight you are. Or should I even bother loosening you?”  
  
“I think the lube’s enough.”  
  
“Desperate are we?”  
  
“A little.”  
  
Sasuke pressed one finger in, taking some of the lube with it. “Then you’re not desperate enough.” He slowly moved the single finger within him then added a second, stretching him as if he were a virgin. Touches to his prostate made Kakashi hump air a few times. Sasuke used his other hand to flick Kakashi’s left nipple and he purred against Kakashi’s neck.  
  
Kakashi hissed his lover’s name, pressing his blushed cheek to the cold wall. Sasuke deemed him ready. He nudged Kakashi’s knees further apart, lowering his body then positioned himself at Kakashi’s entrance and pushed up into him in one thrust. Kakashi growled.   
  
“I don’t think I fuck you enough, still so tight.” Kakashi agreed with that; being fully impaled with one thrust still hurt even after a decade of experience with this. Sasuke’s thrusts were shallow for a while, which was fine with Kakashi since it was almost relentless strikes to his prostate.  
  
“More,” Kakashi gasped.  
  
“Can’t get much harder or faster you greedy little slut.”  
  
Kakashi hummed back at him.  
  
Sasuke was getting close and scratched Kakashi’s stomach giving him red welts running horizontal to the healing scars he’d given him in the forest on the cooling body of an ANBU. Kakashi was reminded of that and pushed back against Sasuke to get off faster. Sasuke punished him by pushing his chest against the wall hard.   
  
“I dictate this one.”  
  
“Yes, sir.”  
  
Not deeming that enough punishment, Sasuke reached down around Kakashi’s erection and racked Kakashi’s scrotum with his nails. Kakashi gasped in pain. But Sasuke noticed his erection didn’t flag. He grabbed them and applied a little pressure. Another gasp, but no deflation.   
  
“If you did this to me, you’d be through the wall,” Sasuke said. “I like how you tighten when I do this.” Sasuke tightened his grip again.   
  
Sasuke’s thrusts had slowed. “Please,” Kakashi begged. “I’m so close.”  
  
Sasuke took his hand away and grabbed Kakashi’s hip to help him start fucking at full speed again. Kakashi cam and Sasuke followed. Kakashi sank even further forward onto the wall. Sasuke was tired from their journey and his orgasm and he twisted around to lean back against the wall next to Kakashi. Kakashi peeled himself away from the wall to lay down and ease the stress on his spread hips.  
  
Sasuke shut his eyes and looked like he would fall asleep, but his eyes snapped open. “Toss me my cloak; Madara’s summoning me.”  
  
Kakashi reached down to the floor and tossed the cloak to him. Sasuke raised himself onto his knees and slipped the cloak on then sat back down and contacted Madara. It wasn’t necessary to wear clothes since it was a metal projection, but Sasuke found it an uncomfortable to talk to Madara while naked.  
  
“Pein was delayed, but he is now on his way to Konoha. I will let you know when he succeeds. But you should probably know, Pein killed Jiraiya.”  
  
“Naruto’s master?”  
  
“Yes. It will take a few days for Pein to arrive. Where are you?”  
  
“We’re back in one of the Akatsuki way stations I noticed on a map in your base.” Which was true except Sasuke hadn’t really taken note of it at the time, but it was a plausible answer. Sasuke would never even hint that Itachi was living on in him. “We’re laying low until you give us the go ahead to go in after Pein.”  
  
“Good. If you find yourself in a difficult position, put on Itachi’s ring and I will come for you.”  
  
“Thank you, I will.”  
  
The connection was cut.  
  
“Jiraiya’s been killed. Pein is on his way to Konoha,” Sasuke said out loud to Kakahsi.  
  
“Really?”  
  
“Yeah. He also offered to help us if we get into trouble. When I sent you all out last time, I told him I considered him all the family I had left and played upon his grief for his brother. Itachi said I look like him. I think it worked. He’ll trust me.”  
  
“So you can get close to him and kill him.”  
  
“Ah. Thanks to Madara, I’m not sleepy anymore.”  
  
 _Tired enough though._  
  
Sasuke chuckled. “Blame Kakashi for  _that_.”  
  
Kakashi looked at him confused.  
  
 _I’m glad you’re so relaxed now. You’re dark and tense most of the time._  
  
“ _Thank_  Kakashi for that.”  
  
 _I still sense a lot of hate in you._  
  
“And you said I would never have enough.”  
  
 _I wish I had been right._  
  
All humor left Sasuke. “So do I, Aniki. So do I. Sometimes I think about it, abandoning revenge and trying to go back to happier times. But I can’t let it go. Not until Madara is dead.”  
  
 _When? What are you waiting for? You don’t make me privy to any of your plans._  
  
“I don’t want what you to see what I’ll have to do. I treasure your council, but leave this to me. Me and Kakashi.”  
  
 _I’d advise you to leave it, leave all this and find peace now, but I know you’re the only one now who can defeat Madara._  
  
Sasuke hummed. “Another month maybe. I doubt it will be that long. Madara is warming to me. Very soon. I may have to bait him with Naruto. I don’t want to, but I may have little choice.”  
  
That was news to Kakashi, but he was surprised that it didn’t disturb him. His memories of Naruto’s face and Minato’s blurred slightly. It didn’t matter to him anymore; let Naruto die or be captured, what Sasuke willed.  
  
“We’ll see. Pein has been sent to capture him.” He felt Itachi’s disturbance. “What? Do you think Naruto doesn’t stand a chance?”  
  
 _Pein is powerful. It appears he possess the Rinnegan._  
  
“The Rinnegan?” Sasuke said. That word caught Kakashi’s attention as well.   
  
“Surely that’s just a legend,” Kakashi said.  
  
Itachi pushed to take control of Sasuke’s throat and Sasuke gave it. “No,” Sasuke said in a deeper voice. “It’s all true. About the Great Sage and his sons. As far as it matters anyway. I don’t know the extent of Pein’s powers. Is he going to Konoha?”  
  
 _Yes,_  Sasuke answer internally.   
  
“Then I fear what the collateral damage will be.”  
  
That did worry Kakashi and Sasuke and they allowed it to show. They wanted to level Konoha themselves, not leave it to Pein.  
  
“Maybe we should go to Konoha,” Kakashi said. “Maybe take Naruto ourselves.”  
  
Sasuke took back possession of his body. “Perhaps. We all need to rest before we can head out again.”   
  
\-----  
  
The seal was breaking. The black seal on Naruto’s abdomen melted. Kyuubi almost seduced Naruto to completely remove the seal. But Minato appeared and stopped him.   
  
After their tearful—and physically painful—reunion, Minato shifted to a subject close to them both.  
  
“Kakashi and Sasuke,” Minato said. “Kakashi was my student. I thought I knew him. I can’t believe he would turn on Konoha. I can’t understand it.” He was obviously grieved, more grieved for Kakashi than for the village. Kakashi had murdered so many people.   
  
“I loved Kakashi like a son. I can’t imagine his heart turning black. And Sasuke. I knew his father. The Uchiha did always have the most exquisite pride, but it goes against Itachi’s wishes. If he killed their clan to protect the village, I would think Sasuke would respect his wishes and at least leave the village unharmed if he couldn’t return. The same for Kakashi. Grief must have driven them mad. You might have to kill Kakashi and Sasuke.”  
  
“No, I can’t. There must be another way.”  
  
“There will be no forgiveness for either of them. If you can speak to them, if you can change their hearts, they will be forced to flee or die. They are lost to you. I almost welcome oblivion now. To see my last and most precious student fall so far.”  
  
\-----  
  
Konoha was little more than a crater. Sasuke’s team perched in a tree just beyond the destruction.   
  
“Itachi wasn’t kidding,” Sasuke said. “Collateral damage indeed. I don’t even think Madara anticipated  _this_.”  
  
“You think your boy Naruto is still alive?” Suigetsu asked.  
  
Sasuke made a clone and it transformed into an unremarkable Konoha shinobi. He leaped away to gather information. Sasuke activated his Sharingan.   
  
“I don’t see him. There is residue of great chakra all over.”  
  
“I see it too,” Karin said. “It stains the air and ground like blood.”  
  
“It goes off beyond the village. We will wait for the report from my clone.”  
  
They waited for some time. At least they knew the clone was not discovered or Sasuke would have the information. Finally, Sasuke stiffened as the information filled his mind. He scowled.   
  
“Pein destroyed the village. However, Naruto defeated him and somehow convinced him to resurrect all he had killed. There were no casualties.”  
  
“Pein could resurrect the dead?” Kakashi asked.  
  
“That’s what the Konoha shinobi are saying. Naruto has just returned. There is celebration going on. Shall we party crash?” Sasuke smirked at his lover.  
  
“With pleasure. It might be fun.”  
  
\-----  
  
Konoha was celebrating. Naruto smiled, but his heart was heavy, heavy with what Nagato had told him and what Minato, his father, had told him. He was acutely aware of Kakashi’s absence. He knew that he would have been proud of him. Not now. And what of Sasuke. He might have to kill two of the people closest to him.  
  
People congratulated him and slapped him on the back, giving him the recognition and respect he always desired. That didn’t keep him from noticing the robed figures approaching them. People stood back at the look in his eyes and looked. Five people were approaching. They had their hoods down and everyone recognized Sasuke and Kakashi in the lead. The non-shinobi fled.   
  
Naruto, a new resolve born of the conversation with his father, stood out in front of the pack of shinobi.  
  
The five newcomers stopped, Karin keeping far in the rear.  
  
“Congratulations on your victory, Naruto,” Sasuke said. “As a reward, I’ve decided to give you a chance to save the village.”  
  
Kakashi looked at him, not privy to this plan.  
  
“I want the elders. Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and that shit Danzo. Bring them to me and perhaps I’ll spare the rest of you. There’s a fine venue for a fight down there,” Sasuke gestured to the crater. “Of course, if they want to lay down their guilty lives, I will be please with that as well.”  
  
“The Hokage is unconscious,” Naruto said. “I can’t just do what you wish.”  
  
Sasuke’s face darkened. “Then we will murder you all.”  
  
“Stop!” Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura approached. “Our lives are not worth the safety of the village.”  
  
“I’m glad you see reason.”  
  
“But you will continue to attack even if we die.”  
  
“If I don’t find satisfaction in your deaths. Where’s the other one, Danzo?”  
  
“Probably hiding with Root.”  
  
Sasuke raised his sword. “Will you submit? As part of the village’s payment for Itachi?”  
  
“I thought he was a better man than that.” Everyone turned to see Danzo walking toward Sasuke. “That bastard. Did he spill the beans as he was dying? I guess you really were special to him.”  
  
Kakashi could feel the rage radiating from his lover. Sasuke’s Sharingan was blazing.   
  
“But why are you so upset? Self-sacrifice, that is what defines a shinobi. Scorning the sun to work in the shadows, that is how it has always been. That is a true shinobi. Many shinobi have died like that, Itachi was not the only one. It’s thanks to people like that that we have been able to maintain peace. You ignore Itachi’s will. You cannot understand. But in telling you his secret, he has betrayed Konoha.”  
  
Sasuke’s chakra flared around him, beginning to form Sasano. “Don’t you dare impugn my brother’s honor! Itachi never told me anything!”  
  
“Oh? Then who did?”  
  
“Madara.”  
  
“So, he’s still alive. He betrayed Itachi.”  
  
“Do not speak to me of Itachi again!” Sasano’s arm grew and reached out to grab Danzo. Kakashi and the others all stumbled back, only Kakashi having seen it before during their excursions and private training.   
  
Sasuke felt Itachi demanding attention but he pushed him back. The chill of his chakra and the rage had alerted Itachi.   
  
Sasano’s hand clinched and destroyed Danzo. That felt good.  
  
“You’re right. Now we must speak with our eyes.”   
  
Sasuke spun around. Danzo was there. Danzo tried to stab him, but Sasano’s body protected Sasuke. Sasuke swept his blade at him, but he vanished. Danzo moved into the crater to give them all more room to move. The other two elders did not move. Sasuke and Kakashi moved in unison, each killing Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura before leaping after Danzo, the other three joining them.  
  
No one else interfered. Naruto, horrified by the sudden murder of the elders, watched the fight which seemed to be a battle of monsters. Sai appeared next to him. “You’re wise not to interfere,” Sai said. “Danzo should be killed. And if this frees of us from further attacks from Sasuke, all the better.”  
  
But Sai was wrong. When Danzo was finally killed, Sasuke was incensed. Naruto had never been so afraid. Kakashi wasn’t happy either. They came out of the crater with an obvious intent to kill.   
  
“But Sasuke, you said—” Naruto tried to argue.   
  
“Curse Danzo in hell!” Sasuke yelled as he attacked.  
  
Many shinobi ran in the face of Sasuke’s rage. Naruto was stunned when he was passed over. The four fighters tore into the gathered shinobi; Karin stayed back. Naruto locked eyes with her. She held his gaze, but it wasn’t as strong as Naruto expected. He turned to fight, disregarding her.  
  
Many of the shinobi who stood to fight had died. Others fell back. Naruto would not fall back. He found it too hard to face Sasuke and Kakashi so he attacked Suigetsu. But as his fellows’ numbers thinned, Sasuke turned his sights on Naruto.   
  
Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the scruff of the neck and threw him into a clear area. Sasuke attention was ripped away by more attacking shinobi. Naruto tried to stand, but Kakashi forced him back down with a kick to the chest. Kakashi looked down at him with hateful eyes, seeming to be restraining himself from attacking while Sasuke fought off those who would distract him.  
  
Naruto looked up into those darkened eyes. “Kakashi-sensei, please,” Naruto pleaded, not for his life, but for his village, “I know my father was your sensei, how can you do this?”  
  
“So, you know who your father is?” Kakashi said. Sasuke approached.  
  
“He sealed some of his chakra within me and I was able to speak with him.”  
  
“Like Itachi,” Sasuke said. He shook his head when Itachi pressed for attention again. Suigetsu and Juugo moved in to protect the distracted pair.  
  
Naruto looked at Sasuke, but returned his attention back to Kakashi. “Please, he wouldn’t want this. He wouldn’t want you to do this.”  
  
“Don’t dare talk about Minato to me!” Naruto had never seen Kakashi truly angry before. Even Sasuke took a step back. The fighting paused for a brief moment at the sound of Kakashi’s rage. “He was like a father to me since my own killed himself,” Kakashi nearly growled. “But then he abandoned me! At least my real father was dead, but Minato just walked away, just washed his hand of me when I needed him the most! Rin was killed and he did little more than pat me on the head and tell me it wasn’t my fault. But he couldn’t hide his disappointment in me; he blamed me for her death. And he never spoke to me again. He blamed me for Obito too. I was still a child! Your precious father, your beloved Hokage abandoned me! You ask him way.”   
  
Naruto was too shocked and scared to answer right away. “I can’t anymore.”  
  
“Humph. I knew who your father was. You look somewhat like him, but you don’t have his talent or intelligence. You take after your mother. I agreed to take you on only because of that and Sandime’s request. I won’t kill you, but I won’t protect you.” He turned to Sasuke. “I’ll cover you.”  
  
“Kill anyone who tries to interfere.”  
  
“Ah.”  
  
But before Kakashi turned away, he unleashed his most powerful Chidori at the Hokage Monument, but it was too far out of range.   
  
“What are you going to do?” Naruto asked Sasuke.  
  
“We’re taking you to Madara. You’re the last one Akatsuki needs.”  
  
Just as Sasuke was about to use his Sharingan on Naruto, wooden spikes grew between them. Sasuke moved back. Reinforcements, including Yamato, had arrived. Many of those who had fled before and during the battle had regrouped and returned.  
  
“Sasuke!” Suigetsu called in a panic.   
  
They were tired and their chakra depleted. The reinforcements seemed to include a lot of ANBU and Root. Sasuke growled and ordered them to retreat. He abandoned Naruto on the ground.   
  
Sasuke leapt up to a tree branch to cover his people’s escape, but he grew dizzy. Kakashi landed next to him and put out a hand to steady him.  
  
“Not now, Itachi,” Sasuke said through gritted teeth. But Itachi wrestled control away from his exhausted brother. He looked around at the devastated area in horror.  
  
“What is this?”  
  
“Itachi? Not now, we have to retreat.”  
  
“What happened?!” Itachi demanded.  
  
“Pein’s attack. We can’t be caught here!”  
  
Itachi looked at him and sank away. Sasuke rallied and chose to be the flank of their group and they ran in the wrong direction for a while to throw off pursuit, but there was none; the shinobi of Konoha had other priorities at the moment.   
  
\-----  
  
Tsunade hadn’t woken up. The three elders were dead. Konoha was headless.   
  
“Just a few weeks ago I would have suggest Kakashi to become Hokage,” Shikaku said.  
  
Naruto was staring at the dirt floor of the tent. He wasn’t really a member of this council, but they wanted him there to keep an eye on him. Sakura and Shikamaru sat of either side of the glum Jinchuriki.   
  
“I think it should be you,” Sakura said, her voice unsteady.   
  
“Now, I’m not the most powerful here.”  
  
“Then who?” Inochi asked.  
  
“Yamato is powerful.”  
  
“But he’s also very young.”  
  
“We need some kind of leadership,” Hiashi said. He was still affected by Neji’s murder and mutilation. Shikaku deemed him too broken by that to be Hokage.   
  
“Perhaps we should lead as a council, the three of us,” Shikaku said indicated himself, Inochi, and Hiashi. “At least until Tsunade wakes up or we choose a Hokage.  
  
“They’ll come back,” Naruto said. They all stared at him; those were the first words he’d spoken since Sasuke and Kakashi had pulled back. “They’ll come back for me. Maybe I should leave.”  
  
“No,” Shikaku said. “They will come here for you and attack even if you’re not here. Hiding you will not save the village. And with your Senjutsu, you are one of the few who can stand up to them. You’re staying.”  
  
“I can’t fight them.”  
  
“Neji believed in you,” Hiashi said.  
  
“If Neji failed . . .”  
  
“You beat Neji in the chunin exam. You did because you never give up. Remember what you must protect!”  
  
Naruto looked into his eyes and nodded.


	12. A Brief Respite

Sasuke’s group rested once in the woods before pushing on to their base. Karin was very quiet the whole time. She had been a help to Sasuke, healed him, and watched his back, but Sasuke had nearly abandoned her during the fight with Danzo. And his chakra was so cold and dark . . . she didn’t know him anymore. She would never get her wish, she would never see him smile, really smile, ever again. Unless it was at Kakashi.  
  
They made it to their adopted home and all went to their rooms to sleep. Except for Kakashi. He was still fuming. Sasuke was enraged by the stolen Sharingans Danzo had used, but he was tired. While they were running, Kakashi’s furious energy was being spent, but now . . .  
  
In Itachi’s room, Sasuke put a hand on Kakashi’s shoulder to try and calm him, but Kakashi rounded on him and pushed him into the wall. The hit to his head against the wall dazed Sasuke. He looked into Kakashi’s eye and saw blind fury. Kakashi pinned him there.   
  
Sasuke called out mentally for Itachi. Itachi was confused to wake up to Kakashi’s furious eyes.  
  
“Sempai?”  
  
Kakashi’s eyes immediately softened. “Itachi.” Kakashi let go, his furious energy drained and he crouched in front of his lover.   
  
Itachi crouched as well. “What’s wrong? I never thought Sasuke would ever run and hide behind me like a frightened child again.”  
  
“Minato.”  
  
Itachi’s expression turned supremely sympathetic. Sasuke was watching from within.  _Minato sealed his chakra in Naruto and spoke to him,_  Sasuke told him.  _He said he can’t talk to him anymore and I doubt they’ve been like us.  
  
Perhaps it was a onetime thing connected to the Kyuubi’s seal.  
  
Naruto mentioned Minato and Kakashi was furious.  
  
He has reason. That, his father’s suicide, the death of his teammates, and your leaving Konoha were the only things he ever showed grief or anger about. He had come to terms with all the latter, but Minato’s disappointment . . . Tell me, what happened today?  
  
We went to stop Pein,_ Sasuke lied.  _We were too late.  
  
That was the rage I felt?  
  
Part of it. Naruto defeated Pein before we arrived. We had to act as the villains. I tried to capture Naruto and that’s when he mentioned Minato, trying to sway Kakashi from trying to capture him.  
  
That must have hurt. I can see why he’s upset._   
  
The conversation didn’t take very long internally. Itachi pulled Kakashi to him. “I’ll tell you again, I don’t believe Minato was disappointed in you. Maybe he was disappointed in himself, that he couldn’t save them and was ashamed to face you.”  
  
“I can’t forgive him for abandoning me. I may have been a Jounin, but I was still a child.”  
  
Itachi rubbed at his hair and back comfortingly. “You must try to let it go.”  
  
“I hate him so much.”  
  
Itachi repositioned and pulled him in even closer. “Doesn’t do anything to hate a dead man. Forget him. His opinion doesn’t matter anymore. Go to sleep. Sasuke’s tried, you must be exhausted.”  
  
“Apologize to him for me; I didn’t mean to attack him.”  
  
“I will.”  
  
\-----  
  
“He always loved Sasuke more,” Naruto said. He was looking at his food rather than eating it.   
  
Sakura sat opposite him, barely eating either. They sat alone in a small tent Naruto would be sharing with Yamato and Sai. Sakura would be staying in the tent housing Tsunade and Shizune.   
  
“He let you and me be trained by the other Sanin after Sasuke left. He wanted to train Sasuke. He took him aside and trained him for the chunin exam. I’ve always been jealous even though I know it was because of Sasuke’s lightning nature and he was better at chakra control than me, but he didn’t even try to find out what my nature was. He palmed me off to Ebisu. That hurt.  
  
“But I still can’t believe Kakashi-sensei would turn on us,” Naruto said. “I really thought he cared about us. He may have palmed me off back then, but he had confidence in me, went out of his way to train me to use my wind nature when I came home. I think he was proud of me; he said he believed in me, that I was capable of surpassing Yondaime. I never knew my parents, but when he and Iruka and Ero-Sanin praised me or looked proud of me, I thought I knew what it must be like to have parents. But the way Kakashi spoke to me . . . what he said about my father.”  
  
“Your father?”  
  
Naruto realized he hadn’t told Sakura about meeting Minato. “Sakura, when I let the Kyuubi take over, it was Yondaime who suppressed him, not me. And he told me he was my father. I’m the son of Yondaime. I was angry at him for putting the Kyuubi inside me, but I was really happy to meet him and that he’s my father.  
  
“You know he was Kakashi’s sensei?” Sakura nodded. “Did you hear what Kakashi said?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“He sounded like he really hated Yondaime.” Naruto felt awkward calling him anything other than Yondaime. “He said Yondaime abandoned him and blamed him for the deaths of his teammates. It felt like he hated me too. I can’t help thinking that he always hated me. Was he acting all this time?”  
  
“Grief can do strange things to people. That’s the root of it with Sasuke too. They’ve both changed.”  
  
“Sasuke already attack us,” Naruto said. “I’m not so surprised by him. I think I can understand him wanting revenge against the village. It’s like what I said to grandma Tsunade when I blamed her for sending Ero-Sanin on the mission that got him killed. I can understand Sasuke. But Kakashi-sensei?”  
  
“I know. But if what they said was true, that he and Itachi were lovers, then I guess it’s not that different from Sasuke’s revenge. He must have really loved him. But to betray the village? I can’t imagine that of Kakashi-sensei. Could it be Sasuke’s influence?”  
  
“I don’t know.”  
  
“Do you still think either of them could be saved?” She was slightly hopeful. If there was any light in this situation, Naruto was the one who could see it.  
  
“No. But I don’t want to kill them. Sasuke was going to take me to Akatsuki. He must know they will kill me.”  
  
Sakura looked down at her food again. After a minute, she came around to sit next to Naruto and hug him. He put an arm around her. She wanted to comfort him, but she started to cry. They had lost the two people closest to them forever.  
  
\-----  
  
Itachi was still there when Kakashi woke up. Sasuke was emotionally exhausted and had drifted off while Itachi was still cuddling the sleeping Kakashi. They had moved into the bed and Itachi was dozing against the headboard with Kakashi’s head in his lap. Itachi’s strength was increasing and could remain in possession of Sasuke’s body much longer.  
  
Kakashi’s stirring woke Itachi. The way Itachi caressed his head told him this was still Itachi and not Sasuke. As he moved, Kakashi felt his lover’s morning erection. Kakashi mouthed it through his clothes. They were both mostly clothed, so Itachi pulled at Kakashi’s shirt. As they stripped, Kakashi continued to use his mouth on Itachi’s erection. Finally, he was free to engulf his lover’s bare cock with his mouth.   
  
Itachi was too lost in pleasure to feel Sasuke’s silent presence. He was just a little jealous that Kakashi was so gentle to his brother. But he couldn’t begrudge either of them that; Sasuke was the one who was into violence, his brother was not.   
  
Kakashi kissed up his lover’s torso, flicking his nipples with his tongue.   
  
“Which way do you want to go?” Kakashi asked, his lips caressing his chest.  
  
“Let me take you,” Itachi sighed.   
  
Kakashi intended to switch places with Itachi and lie on his back, but Itachi took his face in his hands and kissed him. Slow and languid. Itachi knew just where to lick inside his mouth, sucked on his tongue just the way he liked, sucked and licked his lips almost too perfectly. Kakashi was lost in just the kiss. It didn’t matter anymore that this wasn’t Itachi’s body; this was Itachi. His lover. His soul’s idol. He kept his eyes closed, not wanting to see Sasuke.   
  
Itachi moved around, holding Kakashi in place, on his knees. Having just recently been taken by Sasuke, Itachi knew he didn’t need to prepare him. Was he jealous of the amount of sex he knew Sasuke and Kakashi were having? Not really. He had given his blessing and could feel his brother’s very strong, long repressed libido. And he knew Kakashi’s libido well enough. He decided, however, to remind Kakashi what he used to beg for, what Kakashi would get down on his knees for. They had a loving, not S/M, relationship, but he enjoyed it when Kakashi got on his knees to beg. Sasuke saw a shadow of that memory and liked it.   
  
Itachi knelt between Kakashi’s spread legs and moved closer, pressing his arousal against Kakashi’s ass. Itachi trailed his fingers feather light down Kakashi’s scarred back. He teased the edges of the more serious scars where Kakashi was most sensitive, where the scar tissue met the normal skin. He leaned in to lick between Kakashi’s spine and his shoulder blade. Itachi reached around to massage his lover’s chest. He racked his fingernails over his nipples, then gently tweaked them, rubbing them between his fingers as he continued the lick his back, kissing the scars. Itachi backed off to move his lips down his spine, stopping to lap at the salty skin along the way, dragging his fingers down Kakashi’s abdomen as he went.   
  
“Itachi,” Kakashi sighed. Sex with the two brothers was so different. Itachi was the embodiment of patience—most of the time—and always gentle even when his lover was in no way delicate. Sasuke was . . . aggressive.   
  
Itachi’s fingers brushed between his cheeks and over his needy entrance. Kakashi jumped at the feeling of his lover’s tongue even if it was not uncommon. Itachi spread his cheeks and teased the smooth skin of his cheeks and crevasse before teasing the puckered rose. At first it was just light laps, but then he started to stab it with the tip of his tongue. He stabbed deeper and deeper, letting the growing circumference of his tongue force Kakashi’s body open. Kakashi relaxed as much as he could, encouraging the wet muscle deeper.   
  
Somewhat loosened, Itachi began darting his stiffened tongue in and out at varying speeds; first slow, then as fast as a descent fucking; it felt better against his rim than being fucked.   
  
“God, Itachi!”  
  
Kakashi groaned in frustration as Itachi’s pace changed back to a slow poking or switched to gentle lapping. Then he hooked his tongue up and pressed his lips to the rim and sucked.   
  
“Fuck!”  
  
Itachi continued to suck while moving his tongue around. As he did so, Itachi drew a finger down Kakashi’s scrotum. Itachi’s touch was so much gentler than his brother’s as he caressed the flesh Sasuke had been abusing two days ago. Kakashi mewed. Itachi switched back to tongue fucking him, leaving copious amounts of salvia in and around his entrance.   
  
Finally, Itachi moved away and tapped on Kakashi’s hip to indicate for him to turn over onto his back.   
  
Itachi kissed Kakashi’s shoulder, right above the crease of the armpit where he knew Kakashi was particularly sensitive. He tongued it, poking it and licking it. He then drew his lips down Kakashi’s body, beginning at the crease and going down his chest down to his hip, just on the side so to tease the more sensitive skin. His lips came back up to his collarbone to travel back down over a nipple and down his abdomen, his breath puffing against his skin. It was light and enticing. Sasuke marveled at the affect it had on Kakashi who was breathing heavily and wanting to writhe, but restrained himself, giving Itachi complete control. A body so used to pain and discomfort cried out at the slightest touches of pleasure.  
  
Itachi’s tongue created a spiral around Kakashi’s navel, licks and ghostly touches making his abdominal muscles twitch. That tongue dipped into his bellybutton. It was an intimate kiss, his tongue caressing the inside of the small alcove and then sucked on the edge of it, just as he had with Kakashi’s hole.  
  
He left off the kissing to continue trailing his lips down one of the ‘fuck me lines’ leading down into Kakashi’s groin. His breath tickled the hairs around Kakashi’s already painfully hard erection. Kakashi had completely forgotten whose body was above his. He was waiting for Itachi’s long hair to fall and feather his hip.   
  
The tip of Itachi’s tongue was the only part of his body touching Kakashi’s as it lightly touched where the shaft met his scrotum. The small lick, not even an inch long, touched the throbbing vein. Kakashi repressed a plea, wanting more, but enjoying the teasing far too much to make it stop. Itachi turned his head sideways and drew the tips of his teeth up the underside of Kakashi’s cock, his tongue poking out along his length. His teeth were so light that it only enticed rather than hurt him. Itachi then allowed his saliva to fall from him lips onto Kakashi’s weeping erection, lubing it.   
  
Itachi was back up at his chest teasing his erect nipples expertly. His palm gently rubbed Kakashi’s saliva coated cock, pressing it against his stomach, while his fingers ventured down at every down stroke for slight touches to his swollen sac. Itachi’s erection was rubbing against his thigh as he writhed whorishly against him.   
  
Itachi’s hand vanished from his painful erection and reappeared to poke at his perineum, tapping his prostate from the outside. Kakashi tried to not to buck, wanting to leave everything to Itachi, but his body fought against his will to get more. Itachi’s lips brushed his abdomen lightly again as he slowly drew himself up to reposition.  
  
Suddenly, after all the light touches, Itachi pulled away and took Kakashi’s length into his mouth. The teasing was replaced with aggressive sucking and laps of his tongue. Kakashi could hear the wet sounds in the back of Itachi’s throat when the head of his cock went in to the hilt. Itachi let a few whorish sucking sounds escape as he gave Kakashi one of the best blow jobs of his life, jabbing his tongue in the silt and again varying the speed and intensity as he had with his ass. Itachi grabbed the base of his cock feeling Kakashi getting close too quickly. Itachi gave Kakashi one last suck, his lips being pulled tightly up to the head, then catching on the flare before releasing him.   
  
Itachi let go of him. He pulled Kakashi legs up and began using his lips again as he had on Kakashi’s chest on his inner thigh. His fingers played on the side of Kakashi’s knee and behind it. He was waiting for Kakashi to calm down enough so that Kakashi wouldn’t cum as soon as he continued.  
  
Itachi contained to tease Kakashi’s inner thigh as he reached down to tease Kakashi’s entrance. Kakashi hardly noticed that Itachi’s long, slender fingers were far too calloused from swordsmanship to be Itachi’s. Like all of Itachi’s touches tonight, they were light and teasing, rubbing the remnants of salvia into the ring. Kakashi couldn’t help writing against them, wanting to be fucked so bad.   
  
Itachi pulled away and dragged his hands down the sides of Kakashi’s slender hips then grabbed his ass to raise it and push his scarlet blanket under him, to bunch it up to get a better angle.   
  
Itachi grabbed the lube and prepared himself. He touched the head of his cock to Kakashi’s entrance and just swirled it around without any penetration. Some memory or consciousness told Kakashi not to open his eyes and he didn’t, letting the illusion of this was wholly Itachi continue.  
  
Sasuke’s larger head popped in, but it was Itachi’s method. Itachi pushed in inch by inch without ever pulling out in between thrusts. Very Itachi, denying him any draw back. Even the last inch was pressed in at the same speed. No punctuation. No feeling of finality that he was completely in. With Sasuke’s added length, it was an easy illusion as it continued longer than remembered.   
  
Completely buried within his lover, Itachi leaned down to breathe on Kakashi’s neck. Sasuke’s height was a hindrance and he tilted his head up to breathe on Kakashi’s upper chest. Sasuke’s body was a hindrance, but he continued.   
  
Once again very sudden, Itachi pulled completely from Kakashi’s body. Though this was his method with Kakashi, he never quite did it the same way. Kakashi was expecting a hard thrust back in, but instead it was another slower, uninterrupted thrust.   
  
Itachi held still. Kakashi’s inner muscles twitch, wanting something, anything, to happen. Itachi rolled his hips, twisting it inside him, moving in every way possible without pulling out or thrusting. The squirming movement within him without Itachi fucking him, made Kakashi sigh and gasp.   
  
“Itachi.” Itachi remained silent despite wanting to say something, he let Kakashi enjoy it without Sasuke’s voice interfering; he knew Kakashi was deep in a self induced illusion that neither of them wanted to break; he wanted to preserve the illusion that this was a month ago. How much had changed in such a short time? Itachi pushed the thought away. Sasuke could hear it and had to agree; so much had changed. So much. It even made Sasuke sad. Everything had changed. Sasuke was forced to slink back away from his own senses to keep Itachi away from that sadness. Let him have uninterrupted time with his lover.  
  
Kakashi started moving his hips up and down on his own. Itachi aimed and started thrusting right into Kakashi’s prostate. It only took half a dozen strikes to make Kakashi cum. He cried out Itachi’s name.  
  
Itachi pulled from Kakashi’s body and leaned down to lick Kakashi’s cum from his stomach. Again something whispered to Kakashi not to open his eyes, rather he brought up the memory of Itachi’s beautiful young face licking up his cum. Normally Itachi would kiss Kakashi and let him taste himself, but he was afraid of Sasuke’s taste interfering. So, instead, Itachi reentered him, slowly and gently, and fucked him that way, slowly and gently. Itachi cam deep inside him.   
  
By this time, Kakashi’s erection had come back. Itachi went to work. Nothing fancy this time, just powerful, wanton sucking. Kakashi finally moved on his own, wanting to put his hand in Itachi’s hair, but Itachi stopped him, putting his own hands in Kakashi’s threading his fingers together with his. There was a new urgency in Itachi’s sucking. Finally, Kakashi cam again, this time in his mouth.  
  
Itachi crawled up Kakashi’s body and snuggled up under Kakashi’s chin. The spikier, less silken hair brought Kakashi fully back to reality. He put his arms around Itachi’s more muscular brother.  
  
“I’ll always love you, Itachi.”  
  
“Always.”  
  
Sasuke let himself feel his brother’s satisfaction and went back to sleep with Itachi and Kakashi following him back into oblivion.  
  
\-----  
  
Juugo was outside communing with birds before the sun set. Karin came out, startled to see Juugo there.  
  
“I didn’t know you were out here,” Karen said nervously.   
  
“I’ll be going in soon. Do you need something?”  
  
“No. Actually . . . I’m getting out of here. I’m leaving. Sasuke’s obviously with Kakashi and he doesn’t care about any of the rest of us. I think he did before Kakashi joined us. I just wanted to see Sasuke smile one more time. But it’s not the same. It’s not him anymore. I don’t know if it’s his brother or Kakashi or his lust for revenge, but Sasuke’s changed. I have to leave. You should leave too.”  
  
“Sasuke is the only one who can suppress my urges to kill.”  
  
“He doesn’t care about that anymore. He will only stop you from going on a rampage when it’s inconvenient to him. Sasuke’s just using your urges to kill to get his revenge. He’ll dispose of you once he doesn’t need you anymore and will sacrifice you when it suits him. You should leave too.”  
  
“I won’t leave him.”  
  
“Good luck with that. Give me a head start before you tell them.”  
  
“I won’t say anything unless they ask.”  
  
“Thank you, Juugo.” Karin ran off into the trees.   
  
\-----  
  
“Karin’s turn to cook?” Sasuke asked as he entered the dining room. A night and day’s rest had done wonders for his and Kakashi’s dispositions; they were somewhat recovered from the anger over Minato and Danzo’s usurped Sharingans. Now they were pleased that the elders who gave Itachi the order which ruined all their lives were dead. Itachi and Kakashi having sex didn’t hurt. And Sasuke’s eavesdropping. “Where is Karin?”  
  
“I haven’t seen her most of the day,” Suigetsu said, happily.   
  
“Juugo?”  
  
“I saw her outside. I don’t think she’s coming back.”  
  
“We have a runner,” Kakashi said.  
  
“Let her go,” Sasuke said. “As long as she doesn’t betray us, she’s free to go. In fact, the two of you are free to go; this is our mission. I appreciate your help though.”  
  
“Where else can I use my swords as I see fit?” Suigetsu said. “I’m staying.”  
  
“You’re Kimimaru’s replacement, the only one who can help me; I’ll stay.”  
  
“Thank you.” Sasuke wondered into the kitchen. “As long as my brother isn’t allowed to cook.”  
  
“I concur,” Kakashi said.   
  
Itachi chuckled in Sasuke’s mind.  _I can’t believe you don’t like anything sweet,_  Itachi said.  _You’re just like Kakashi._  
  
“That’s right, I’d forgotten about that,” Sasuke said out loud.  
  
“What?” Kakashi asked.  
  
“That you don’t like anything sweet.”  
  
“True, I don’t,” Kakashi said. “The one thing Itachi and I never saw eye to eye on.” He was not put off by Sasuke having half a conversation anymore.  
  
“We’re nearly out of everything. Just steak left.” Itachi shuttered inside of him. “Well you don’t have to eat it. Just back off my senses for a while.”  
  
 _Tastes like blood._  
  
“I happen to like that taste.”  
  
The conversation was beginning to worry Juugo and Suigetsu.  
  
“Is he always like this?” Suigetsu asked Kakashi.  
  
“Very rarely. They’re switching much more easily now.”  
  
“Itachi’s getting stronger and I’m indulging him to feel my senses,” Sasuke explained. “I’ll be ‘eating alone,’ so to speak,” Sasuke smirked. He threw the last of the meat in a spice mixture and heated up the indoor grill. “You can have dessert while I take a nap.”  
  
“That’s just weird,” Suigetsu said.  
  
“Tell me about it,” Kakashi said.  
  
\-----  
  
Itachi was shut out of Sasuke’s senses as Sasuke curled up into Kakashi’s side.   
  
“No doubt we will be sent to capture Naruto now,” Sasuke said.   
  
“None whatsoever.”  
  
“But our larder is empty; that should be our priority tomorrow. Feel like some marauding?”  
  
“Anytime.”  
  
“I shouldn’t be so tried.” Sasuke snuggled closer.  
  
“It’s been emotionally trying. You’ve been sort of living for two; I’m not surprised you’re tired. Get some sleep. We’ll need all our stamina to complete your plan.”  
  
It was a little worrying how quickly Sasuke fell asleep. Having two souls—three, if you count the locked away Orochimaru—living in Sasuke’s body was beginning to take its toll. Kakashi had hoped Itachi could live on in Sasuke’s body indefinitely, but that was proving impossible. Soon after this was all over and he would have to say goodbye to Itachi forever. Once again.


	13. One Last Time

Juugo thought he should stay with Sasuke, but Karin’s words had left a mark.   
  
“We no longer have a medical-nin, so take extra care not to get injured,” Sasuke said. Kakashi was leading them to a Konoha outpost on the border with the River Country.   
  
That was the only instructions Sasuke gave them. Sasuke used to say ‘no killing,’ but not anymore. With this group, ‘kill everyone’ didn’t need to be said. It made Juugo sad; the man who recruited him, the one who said he would help him, the one who allowed him to leave his cell, the one who had made him feel trusted and needed, was dead. Some part of Sasuke’s soul had died with his brother even if his brother was in a sense living within him.  
  
Juugo had control when they initially attacked, but the scent and sight of blood brought out all his murderous urges.   
  
Juugo woke up crouching among the bodies, his exhaustion having ended his rampage. At first he didn’t remember anything, he just saw the carnage around him. His memory began to fill in as always, unveiling the horrors he himself had committed.   
  
He turned to Sasuke. The raven haired man was dispassionately stabbing the throats of each dead shinobi. Sasuke had let him rampage and it wasn’t Sasuke who’d stopped him. Karin’s words came back to him. Sasuke had no intention of helping him, just using him. He looked away. These three men were enjoying killing people. Did he really want to remain with them?  
  
He was unaware that Sasuke had stopped what he was doing and was watching him.   
  
“Juugo.” Juugo looked up into Sasuke’s eyes. “Gather provisions for yourself and head out on your own when you’re ready.”  
  
“Eh?” Suigetsu said, surprised.   
  
“Juugo isn’t like us, he’s like Karin. You were rather calm up north, you should head up there, Juugo.”  
  
“Wait,” Suigetsu argued. “We have to carry all this stuff ourselves?”  
  
“I’ll help you,” Juugo said. “I’ll leave from our base.”  
  
Sasuke nodded to him. He looked up with his Sharingan and scanned the area. He leapt away with Kakashi moving with him as if he could read Sasuke’s mind. Suigetsu followed them. Juugo stayed behind.   
  
Sasuke and Kakashi made the perfect team cutting through the Konoha shinobi. But he ordered one man left alive.  
  
Sasuke saw a hawk flying away. He summoned one of his own, leaped onto his back, and went after it. His own hawk screamed and Sasuke let him kill the smaller messenger rather than hit it with his Chidori. Sasuke circled the outpost to find any more shinobi running around or hiding. He actually missed Karin for a moment.  
  
Sasuke returned to the ground and grabbed the man Kakashi was holding. Sasuke didn’t bother with verbal questions, he just used his Sharingan to probe the man’s mind.  
  
Sasuke’s eyes faded to black. “Kill him.” Kakashi slit the man’s throat. “The Hokage has not woken up and they are making due with a council for the time being. The number of shinobi here was because they want warning, if not prevent, our crossing the border again. They don’t know where we are, but they think we’re in one of the smaller nations like River or Waves, or using Oto.”  
  
“They haven’t put much effort into tracking us,” Kakashi said.  
  
“They don’t have many shinobi to spare.”  
  
“Be better to hunt us then reinforce the borders,” Suigetsu said.  
  
“Konoha is now vulnerable and they are ripe for invasion,” Kakashi said. “Reinforcing the borders is prudent. We and Pein have ravished Konoha.”  
  
Sasuke smiled. “Indeed. It’s late and there were more shinobi here than I anticipated. Everyone’s dead so there shouldn’t be any reinforcements coming; we can probably sleep here tonight. We’ll gather everything we intend to take first so we can head out immediately in the morning.”  
  
Pretty certain they’d killed everyone, they begin gathering supplies.   
  
Just beyond the Sharingan’s range, one shinobi broke from his hiding place and ran. He ran toward Suna rather than Konoha, Suna being closer. They were close allies and could either warn Konoha or move in themselves.   
  
\-----  
  
They weren’t comfortable having sex in enemy territory, but Sasuke let Kakashi fondle him while they kissed. Sasuke had commandeered the commander’s room and had taken care of any booby traps. He didn’t want to drop his guard, but it felt too damn good. He cam into Kakashi’s hand. Sasuke pulled his hand up and licked it clean then pushed Kakashi up against the wall, fell to his knees and suck him off. Kakashi thought it was funny that Sasuke was fine with this, but didn’t want his cock in his ass. Sated, they fell asleep.   
  
They were still asleep when the attack came. Suigetsu woke up a few hours after dawn and knew if Sasuke wasn’t ordering anyone around, he was asleep. He did maintenance on his sword outside when he sensed someone approaching. Several someones.   
  
Suigetsu leapt up and looked over the wall. Suna. He ran down to where the others were sleeping.  
  
“Sasuke! Suna is attacking.”  
  
Sasuke rushed out of the room, pulling on his belt, already half dressed. Kakashi was on his heels fastening his weapons pouches. Sasuke was smirking.  
  
“Kakashi, the ground isn’t very hard here.” Sasuke looked him in the eye. Kakashi understood and left.  
  
“Suigetsu, have fun.” Suigetsu ran back out to the wall. “Juugo!” Sasuke adjusted his equipment. Juugo came out of his room. “We’re being attacked. Do whatever you want.” Sasuke went out to join the fight.  
  
Outside, Kakashi used his headhunter jutsu, pulling several shinobi into the ground. It wasn’t a lethal jutsu, it was a taunt. And their attention was directed at the ground. Suigetsu seemed to come out of nowhere to cut them in half. Then Sasuke appeared with his Chidori and sword. It was a massacre.   
  
“They underestimate us, they didn’t send Gaara.” Sasuke beheaded two shinobi.  
  
“Gaara’s Kazakage,” Kakashi said snapping another man’s neck.  
  
“Really? I hadn’t heard that.” Sasuke threw Chidori senbon into two men’s eyes. “Kinda wished Oto was more legitimate; I’d be a Kage too now.” The Suna shinobi were amazed these two were having a normal conversation while they were outnumbered twenty to one. Emphasis on ‘were.’  
  
The Suna shinobi regrouped and attacked the two of them while Suigetsu stood some ways off taking on his own group.   
  
“Kakashi, back to back.” Kakashi obeyed, backing up into him. Sassano grew up around them. His sword appeared and took out the eight men rushing them. He turned and shot an arrow at the last the one going for Suigetsu. He lowered the painful jutsu. Suigetsu finished off the last of them. Juugo never arrived.   
  
“We’ll have breakfast and rest, then go home.” Sasuke wasn’t perturbed by the attack in the slightest.  
  
“Was Suna attacking Konoha?” Suigetsu asked.  
  
“No,” Kakashi answered. “Suna and Konoha are close allies. Someone must have escaped us and gone to Suna.”  
  
“No double a message made it to Konoha,” Sasuke said. “They will be incensed. Eat quickly.”  
  
They came back and walked right by Juugo. There was no anger at the fact he hadn’t helped, they completely disregarded him. He was no longer one of them.  
  
\-----  
  
Juugo carried the bulk of their supplies to their home base as promised. He gathered his things and prepared to leave. Sasuke stood at the entrance waiting for him.  
  
“I am sorry to see you go. No hard feelings.”  
  
“Really?”  
  
“You didn’t sign on for a war with one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations. As long as you don’t betray us, I wish you well.”  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
“Do me one last favor.” Sasuke gestured to a well stuffed pack. “Take this to another of Orochimaru’s hideouts.” Juugo nodded and Sasuke pulled out a map and showed him the location. “Just leave the pack in the entrance way.”  
  
“I will do it.”  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
Juugo took the extra pack and left. Sasuke did feel a little sad; he’d come to feel something for this team he put together. Now he’d lost two of them.  
  
Sasuke wondered back into the hideout. Kakashi was sitting on Itachi’s bed repacking his and Sasuke’s weapons pouches. They hadn’t just stolen provisions, they had stolen replacement weapons—shuriken, kunai, and a few scrolls—and medical supplies. They were preparing for their finale battle against Konoha after all and they had lost their only medical-nin.  
  
“Juugo’s gone. Suigetsu is only staying for the slaughter, but that’s one reason I chose him; he’d never shrink at bloodshed. Once this is over, we’ll part ways with him as well.”  
  
“It might start getting lonely around here.”  
  
“I haven’t been gregarious since I was eight,” Sasuke said sadly. “I’ve since loved quiet. But I will miss them. Soon it will be just you and me.”  
  
It was Kakashi’s turn to look sad. “It will be less lively. But there’s only one person I’ll miss.”  
  
Sasuke’s eyes softened. “You and I will have years together if we survive.” Sasuke’s eyes shut and when they reopened it was Itachi looking at him. He smiled gently at him, his eyes full of affection.   
  
“I will miss you so much, Itachi,” Kakashi said.  
  
“You’re going after Madara?” Sasuke’s voice still sounded so strange taking on Itachi’s deeper tone.   
  
“Yes.” Kakashi wasn’t really lying; he was their target immediately after Konoha. They were expecting a message from Madara soon ordering them to go after Naruto. They would do it then use his delivery as a blind for attacking him.  
  
Kakashi removed all the pouches and weapons from the bed. Itachi got in behind Kakashi and put his arms over his shoulders. If Kakashi kept his eyes closed or Itachi stayed out of Kakashi’s range of vision, he could pretend Itachi wasn’t dead. But he wanted to see him, feel him, smell him. As much as he truly, deeply loved him, he missed all the physical things about Itachi.   
  
There was nothing sexual about the way Itachi was touching him. Kakashi could have sex—violent, passionate, utterly disgustingly satisfying sex—for the next few decades with Sasuke. He didn’t want to have sex with Itachi now, but he couldn’t think of anything to talk about.   
  
Itachi nuzzled his head against Kakashi’s. He couldn’t think of anything to say either.  
  
“I love you,” Itachi said. “Be careful when you fight Madara.”  
  
“I will. I don’t want to lose you again, but that can’t be helped.”  
  
Itachi’s arms tightened around him. The truth was, Itachi was fully aware of the change in his lover and his brother. They were darker; there was no better word. He didn’t want to stay much longer. Kakashi wasn’t the same man he’d fallen in love with anymore. He still loved him, but he was different. Itachi wondered how much of it was because he still existed in Sasuke’s mind. He knew he was the root of it all, but wondered what additional damage was done by his ghost.  
  
Itachi reached up to pull Kakashi’s mask down and stroked his bare cheek. “I will always love you,” Itachi said.  
  
“And I you.”  
  
Itachi withdrew his arms to put them around Kakashi’s waist and lay his head against his upper back.   
  
Kakashi thought about Itachi: white, unblemished skin contrasting with his black hair and eyes. He had been so young and innocent looking back then, and still did even the day he died. Itachi was alive in his memory. He turned to look at his lover causing Itachi to let go and lean back. Kakashi couldn’t stop the look of shocked disappointment when he saw Sasuke’s face.  
  
Sasuke’s face took on a pained expression. “I didn’t want to do this,” Itachi said, “I thought it would make things worse, but we have so little time left. I want to see you happy just once more.”  
  
Itachi made a few hand signs and the image in Kakashi’s mind appeared before his eyes. Itachi as young and fresh as he’d been a year before. Tears formed in Kakashi’s eyes even as he smiled. His beautiful little raven.   
  
“For one night, you can have me again,” Itachi said in his own deep voice.   
  
Kakashi slipped Sasuke’s loose shirt over Itachi’s thinner shoulder. The perfect, hairless chest was just as he remembered. And there, on the left bicep, the black ANBU tattoo. Kakashi leaned forward to kiss Itachi’s shoulder then the tattoo. He kissed it then licked it. He tasted like Sasuke, but he was acutely aware of the situation. Something wouldn’t let him deceive himself this time. It only made the situation more poignant to him.  
  
Itachi leaned back, bracing himself with his arms. Kakashi slowly stripped him, kissing the revealed skin, caressing the flesh still under the clothing. It felt so good to Itachi. Sasuke’s body reacted.   
  
Kakashi kissed across his collarbone to the cleft of his shoulder. He moved to one nipple to another, then down to kiss every ripple of muscle. He repositioned to kiss the inside of Itachi’s right knee and down the taut thigh muscle.   
  
He smelled like Sasuke, but there was something of Itachi to him. Same blood. He took Itachi’s erection in his mouth. The jutsu made it seem like Sasuke’s cock had shrunk to Itachi’s thinner length. But the most satisfying thing at the moment wasn’t the pulsing hardness in his mouth, but the sounds of pleasure coming out in those deeper tones. At first Kakashi was having trouble getting hard due to the emotion that had him practically weeping, but that was rectified with those moans.  
  
Kakashi sat up and stared at the passion rapt face. Itachi opened his eyes. Kakashi kissed him, deeply, but briefly. He pulled back a few inches to look closely into Itachi’s eyes.   
  
Kakashi reached around Itachi to stack up the pillows and maneuvered Itachi back against them. He found the lube and prepped him quickly—Sasuke’s body was loose enough. Kakashi pressed into him and kept his eyes on that rounder face. Itachi tried to keep his eyes open, but couldn’t, he needed to concentrate on the jutsu through the pleasure. This wasn’t for him anyway. Kakashi’s eyes never left his face. He made love to him gently, watching him. They panted into each other’s faces. Itachi’s breath and the feeling of his pulse made him feel more alive.  
  
Kakashi grabbed Itachi’s cock to keep him from cumming as they both got closer. He held out for as long as possible then removed his hand. It took just one thrust for Itachi to lose it and Kakashi cam with him. Kakashi watched his face. That sighing, writhing form was one of the most beautiful images he ever saw.   
  
Itachi relaxed back onto the pillows, his dark eyes opening, shinning with afterglow. Kakashi stroked his cheek.  
  
“I love you so much it hurts,” Kakashi told him.  
  
“You are the only person I’ve ever loved.”  
  
“Stay like this, just for a little while longer.”  
  
Itachi nodded. Kakashi sat back and took Itachi’s foot in his hand and massaged it, watching that lovely face. Itachi felt a little guilty that Sasuke was missing the attention being paid to his body as Kakashi moved on to his calf then his other foot. Sasuke wasn’t so out of touch with his senses, he was just keeping quiet. Itachi completely relaxed and let himself be pampered.   
  
“Stay like that and turn over,” Kakashi said. He took the pillows away so Itachi lay flat on his stomach. Kakashi pulled the stray strands of hair from the visible side of Itachi’s face then massaged his sexy back down to the lovely dip of the small of his back then upward curve of his perfect ass. His whole body was perfection. Kakashi took in as much of his body as he could.   
  
Kakashi lay next to him and pulled Itachi to him. “Let me fall asleep like this.”  
  
“Alright.”  
  
“I’d like for you to talk, but I don’t know what about.”  
  
“Nor do I.”  
  
“I just want to listen to you.”  
  
“I wish I could sing.”  
  
“Why don’t you tell me about what you did and where you went when you were wondering around with Akatsuki?”  
  
“Boring tale.”  
  
“Doesn’t matter. I just want to hear your voice.”  
  
Itachi talked about going on simple missions and traveling around with Kisame. Kakashi wasn’t listening to his words, but he craved the sound of his raven’s voice. He fell asleep with Itachi voice dancing on his ear. He would never it hear it again.


	14. Capturing the Kyuubi

Madara ‘called’ during the night, waking Sasuke up. He didn’t like talking with Madara while he was naked even if the projection Madara would see would be wearing whatever Sasuke wanted it to, but Sasuke didn’t want to wake Kakashi who had his arms wrapped around his waist tightly and his cheek pressed against Sasuke’s shoulder blade.   
  
Sasuke accepted the metal connection.  
  
“Pein is dead,” Madara said without preamble.  
  
“That’s very unfortunate.”  
  
“I need you to capture the Kyuubi.”  
  
“I will do it.”  
  
“I thought you were against the idea.”  
  
“I’ve had time to think it over. I have no loyalty to him. I will bring him to you. I might destroy half the village while I’m at it.”  
  
“Apparently, Pein destroyed the village, but there were no causalities.”  
  
“How is that possible?”  
  
“Their Hokage is the most skilled medical-nin in history, that must be why.” Sasuke knew the real reason, but didn’t let on.   
  
“I’m glad this is all almost over. I will be happy to become close with my last kinsman once you establish peace.”  
  
Madara softened, his eye showing some fondness. “Ah. Leave for Konoha as soon as possible.”  
  
“I will bring you Naruto.”  
  
The connection was cut. Sasuke opened his eyes. Kakashi was still fast asleep behind him.  
  
He tried to go back to sleep; he would need his rest.  
  
\-----  
  
The three of them perched on a tree branch outside the radius of destruction.   
  
“Suigetsu, have fun. But don’t kill the Jinchuriki.”  
  
“How do I recognize him?”  
  
“Blond, blue eyed. His signature jutsu are using far too many shadow clones and a ball of chakra. What did he call it?”  
  
“The Rasengan,” Kakashi said. “And he has a new one. Looks like a whitish blue ball with shuriken like blades.”  
  
“Shit,” Suigetsu said.   
  
“Yeah. It’s devastating.”  
  
“Just run and find us,” Sasuke said. “Lead him to us. He’s ours to capture.” Sasuke was looking toward Suigetsu and saw something beyond him. The Uchiha shrine. It was surrounded in ruble, but it had survived. Greif and rage welled up in him. “Kill everyone else.”  
  
Their attention was pulled upward as a bird flew overhead then straight for the village.  
  
“They know,” Suigetsu said.  
  
“Good.”  
  
\-----  
  
Naruto ran into the house where they had kept Tsunade since she collapsed. He hugged her. “I’m so glad you’re awake, baa-chan!”  
  
“Naruto.” She embraced him. “They told me what happened. I’m so proud of you. Jiraiya would be proud too.”  
  
He hugged her tighter. “I met my father. He was the one who tighten the seal on the Kyuubi.”  
  
“Huh?” She pulled back a little.  
  
“He sealed some his chakra in me and I was able to speak with him.”  
  
“I wish he and your mother had lived to raise you, but you turned out just as they would have hoped.”  
  
A shinobi ran in. “Hokage-sama! They’ve been sighted. They’re here. Three of them.”  
  
“Them?”  
  
“Sasuke and Kakashi.”  
  
“There were five before.”  
  
“The woman and the big guy weren’t with them.”  
  
“Prepare everyone for battle, get the civilians out!”  
  
Naruto paled.  
  
\-----  
  
Suigetsu had already taken off. Sasuke stood on the branch with Kakashi crouched next to him.   
  
“I think I should announce ourselves,” Sasuke said. “Only polite, don’t you think, Kakashi?”  
  
Kakashi didn’t say anything or move even as two platoons were clearly coming at them; he trusted Sasuke. A dozen shuriken and kunai flew at them and still Kakashi didn’t move a muscle. Sasuke’s sword deflected them all. Kakashi’s normal eye tightened at the clanging metal two inches from it, but otherwise remained still.   
  
As the Konoha shinobi came closer, Susanoo grew up around Sasuke and Kakashi. Susanoo prepared his arrow and shot it into village in front of the fleeing civilians. He missed, but his intent was not to kill them, just scare the living shit out of them. Which he did.  
  
The shinobi approaching them stopped and fell back out of fear. Susanoo disappeared and Kakashi leaped into action. Sasuke jumped in after him.  
  
\-----  
  
Yamato held Naruto back as the slaughter commenced. Tsunade sent Sakura and Shizune along with Katsuyu to get people out and to heal them. Tsunade was ready to stand her ground in the middle of the rebuilding village.   
  
“Naruto, leave,” Tsunade urged. “They’re with Akatsuki; they’re here for you. Get out of here. If they get you, Akatsuki will have all the bijuu. Go!”  
  
“I can’t leave. They may want to capture me, but they’re here to destroy the village. It won’t matter if I leave.”  
  
“I don’t want you to have to fight them!”  
  
“Maybe if they capture me, they’ll spare the rest of you.”  
  
“Not fucking likely,” said another voice.  
  
They whirled. Sasuke. Kakashi was behind him, killing masked ANBU.  
  
“Yamato, get Naruto out of here!” Tsunade ordered as she took a stance.   
  
Naruto struggled, but Yamato wrapped him in his wood jutsu and carried him off. Sasuke and Kakashi watched, but didn’t go after them. Naruto would come to then in due course. They turned their eyes on Tsunade. ANBU jumped out and attacked the pair. They were not phased and automatically counterattacked.   
  
Kakashi used Itachi’s ANBU sword. The familiar sword surprised the younger ANBU who were not aware of Kakashi’s history. Gripping the sword Itachi used, not only used day to day as a member of ANBU, but the sword he used to carry out the mission that had destroyed their three lives, he felt fresh rage. He channeled the rage into the most precise, almost clinical, killing.  
  
As she was running out of ANBU, Tsunade joined in. Kakashi jumped away from her and took advantage of his new position to attack Sasuke opponent, freeing Sasuke to move or fight Tsunade. Kakashi took over all the remaining ANBU while Sasuke turned his attention to the Hokage.   
  
Sasuke’s Eternal Mangakou could see everything Tsunade intended, including her gathering chakra in her hands. Kakashi finished off the ANBU and joined him, his own Sharingan showing him the lethal chakra. They used their swords to keep distance. Every once in a while in their long fight with the powerful Sanin and Hokage, another shinobi would move in and one of the avengers would break off to take them out. The pair never let themselves or the other be caught off guard by them or Tsunade. They were in perfect harmony and never had to speak or signal to each other.   
  
They were so perfectly in sync that they each took off one of Tsunade’s hands with their swords sparking with Chidori. She fell to her knees. There were four shinobi out of range, paralyzed, watching their Hokage lose her hands. They watched as Kakashi grabbed her by the hair.   
  
Tsunade looked up into Kakashi’s eyes. “I didn’t want you executed,” she said. “We had no choice, it was treason.”  
  
“This has nothing to do with that, with me. This is about Itachi.”  
  
Sasuke cut off her head. Sasuke straightened and he looked very much alive and almost relieved. Killing the current Hokage—a replacement for the Third Hokage who was already dead—felt like it was the final step. The slaughter from now on was just icing on the cake. He looked over at his lover and there was an almost crazed, non-sexual lust. Bloodlust and glee.   
  
They turned their attention to the four frightened shinobi. One ran away, the other three died. The pair didn’t run after the fleeing man, they turned their attention to more immediate victims.  
  
\-----  
  
The young shinobi happened by chance to run in the same direction as Yamato. He found Yamato and Naruto.  
  
“The Hokage’s dead!” He was so frightened and pumped full of adrenaline that he ran off. He would spread the news.   
  
Yamato froze in shock. Naruto felt the anger building. He broke out of Yamato’s bindings. Yamato was a moment too late to stop him.  
  
\-----  
  
It seemed like everyone was dead. There were a few fires among the destroyed buildings and nothing else moved around them. They could hear screams, but they seemed far, far away. Sasuke trudged over the open land beyond the small cluster of rebuilt houses. He looked at the barren dirt of the crater. He heaved deep breaths to calm himself. Kakashi was a few feet behind him. He watched Sasuke’s form. He was majestic. He really loved the little avenger. He looked liberated. Alive. Almost at peace.  
  
Then they both turned. They could feel Naruto coming. Kakashi was between them when Naruto ran out from behind the buildings, but Naruto and Sasuke’s eyes locked.  
  
“Move, Kakashi. Stay out of it, just keep anyone from interfering.”  
  
Kakashi moved away without responding. Kakashi’s protection wasn’t needed. Once the fight started, no one wanted to get close. Naruto made two clones to stand by and gather Senju chakra. But Kakashi was after them in a heartbeat. Naruto had no backups. Sasuke seemed to have limitless chakra. Even the Rasengan Shuriken was nothing against Susanoo. Seeing that that was Naruto’s most powerful technique, Sasuke smirked evilly. Naruto was his.   
  
Like a well fed cat with a mouse, Sasuke attacked without any intention of even hurting Naruto, just wearing him out. Naruto collapsed. Sasuke let Susanoo drop and walked up to Naruto who tried to strike out and failed. Kakashi moved closer to protect his lover from the shinobi who would come once they realized Naruto was in trouble.   
  
Sasuke grabbed Naruto up by the collar and offered him a kunai. Naruto looked at it, but didn’t take it. Sasuke grabbed his hand and pressed the kunai in then aimed the kunai at his own heart. Naruto was frozen. Sasuke leaned in.  
  
“Itachi once told me that I couldn’t kill him because I didn’t have enough hate and that I never would. He was wrong; it’s almost all I’ve got left. You are the one who lacks hate. You can’t kill me, am I right, Naruto? I have no such compunction. I will kill everyone in Konoha. And I will kill you, but not now. You’re too valuable as a Jinchuriki. If you want to save them, save yourself, you have to kill me.”  
  
Naruto gripped the kunai and stared into Sasuke’s eyes. They were black now. Naruto couldn’t do it. This was his best friend, the boy he looked up to for so long and loved, though not in a romantic sense. They had saved each other’s lives several times. How could he kill him?  
  
“You really joined Akatsuki? You and Kakashi?”  
  
“Don’t talk like you know anything about it. You have no idea why I joined them. Kakashi had little choice, though neither one of us are real members yet, we’re just working for them now.” Sasuke pulled back and fished out the necklace on which he strung Itachi’s ‘scarlet’ ring from his shirt and showed it to Naruto. “I’m not a true member of Akatsuki until I put on this ring. You don’t want to make me put it on.”  
  
Curiosity overriding all, Naruto asked, “What will happen if you do?”  
  
“Everything will be out of my hands.”  
  
That awoke a glimmer of hope in Naruto. He understood that Sasuke had some other plan, he wasn’t completely under Akatsuki’s sway. Maybe this was all for show. But Sasuke had really killed people. It wasn’t like with Pein; Sasuke couldn’t bring those people back to life. But maybe there was some way to save Sasuke and Kakashi.   
  
Sasuke’s attention was ripped from Naruto as Konoha shinobi surrounded them. Kakashi prepared to defend them.   
  
“We don’t have time for this,” Sasuke snarled, he used up a lot of chakra dealing with Naruto. He looked back at Naruto and an idea emerged. Before Naruto could comprehend what was about to happen, Sasuke activated his Sharingan and they both found themselves in that damp basement before the Kyuubi’s cage.  
  
The Kyuubi formed out of the boiling water. Fully formed before them, Kyuubi gave Sasuke a sniff.  
  
“Uchiha. I didn’t think chakra could become any more foul, dark, and sinister. You surprise me. There is nothing but hate about you. And bloodlust. You are indeed a worthy successor to Madara. More sinister and powerful than even him. Will you finally take your clan’s revenge on this heir of the Senju?”  
  
“I don’t care about that,” Sasuke told him. “Madara is alive and wants to capture all the bijuu in order to fuse you all together and recreate the Ten-Tails. I assume you don’t want that. You seem too fond of yourself for that.”  
  
Kyuubi chuckled. “You are right.”  
  
“Then help me.”   
  
Naruto looked at Sasuke in astonishment.  
  
“An Uchiha asking for help?” Kyuubi asked mockingly.  
  
“Naruto has tight control of you now, but I need to get out of Konoha with him. Unless he’s willing to use some of your chakra, I’ll have to make him let you out partially. And I need you to obey me.”  
  
“With that blasted Sharingan of yours, you don’t need to ask me.”  
  
“But I am.” He turned to Naruto. “You see, either way, I get what I want. Your comrades are surrounding us and I don’t have time to kill them all. I will threaten to unleash the Kyuubi on them unless they allow Kakashi and I to take you with us. I can either use my Sharingan on you to back up my threat or you can just use some of Kyuubi’s chakra to do it. I’ll even promise to cease attacking the village. We’ve killed most of them and those I hated the most are now dead. Konoha is but a shadow of itself. If you resist, I give you no guarantee anyone in Konoha will live.”  
  
“Sasuke—”  
  
“It’s a yes or no question.”  
  
Naruto looked into Sasuke’s red eyes and saw no compassion at all. There was nothing. His eyes were harder than even he had ever seen. Perhaps there really was no hope for Sasuke. Everyone else was right about Sasuke: he was lost. But for the sake of the village should he take the offer? Was Sasuke truly only worried about the time, or did he really fear the shinobi surrounding them and Naruto himself? With his sage mode, Naruto might really be able to stop him. He might be the only person in the world who could. He came to a decision.  
  
“No.”  
  
Sasuke didn’t react except to turn to the Kyuubi even before the word was fully out. “Cooperate with me and I’ll help you survive.”  
  
“I agree, Uchiha.”  
  
“I’ll put a genjutsu on Naruto and keep you on a short leash. Remember, even if you break from me and kill me, Madara and his Sharingan wants to—in a sense—destroy you.”  
  
“Fine.”  
  
“We have a deal.”  
  
They returned to the outside world. Only a moment had passed.   
  
“Kakashi, hold!”  
  
Sasuke’s Sharingan made quick work of Naruto and the Kyuubi’s chakra leaked out to form the cloak. His chakra was suppressed enough to ensure the seal was solid, but Kyuubi had control of Naruto’s body, though Sasuke held the reigns.   
  
“I’ve weakened the seal on the Kyuubi,” Sasuke announced. “Come closer or hinder our escape and I’ll weaken the seal even more. Naruto’s safely tucked away in a genjutsu; he can’t help you. Kakashi, fall back.”  
  
Kakashi obeyed and moved backward closer to Sasuke and the chakra cloaked Naruto. The other shinobi did not move.  
  
Sasuke looked at one man and pulled him in a genjutsu. “Go find Suigetsu. Tell him ‘Sasuke has yogurt,’ and lead him here. Go.” The other Konoha shinobi let the man go, anything to speed up these rogues’ retreat.  
  
Kakashi release a small laugh at the phrase Sasuke has chosen. “It was the only thing I could think of to make him believe the man was my messenger,” Sasuke said. “Suigetsu’d do almost anything for yogurt.”   
  
“Like your brother and sweet dangos.”  
  
They and the Konoha shinobi stood at a stalemate until Suigetsu arrived. “Where’s my yogurt?”  
  
“When we get back to base. We’re falling back; we got what we came here for.”  
  
Sasuke turned to the west and walked away confidently with the Kyuubi following, just hoping someone would approach, and Suigetsu and Kakashi cautiously bringing up the rear. No one stopped them.  
  
Not far away, Sakura and Shikamaru watched. They could not let Naruto die.


	15. The Mountain Graveyard

Safely away from Konoha, Sasuke subdued the Kyuubi and kept Naruto asleep.   
  
“We’ll take turns carrying him,” Sasuke said. “We’re going all the way to Mountain Graveyard, Madara’s main base.”  
  
“You could just ask Madara to come get us,” Kakashi said.  
  
“I could.” Sasuke pulled Naruto over his shoulders to carry him combat style. “But we have other preparations to make. And we will stop somewhere for yogurt on the way, so stop glaring, Suigetsu.”  
  
\-----  
  
Kakashi was the one carrying Naruto when they arrived. Madara was waiting for them. It seemed rather pitiful that the once great Akatsuki was reduced to just Madara and Zetsu.   
  
“Your last Jinchuriki,” Sasuke announced as Kakashi dropped the body of his unconscious former student.   
  
As he spoke, the genjutsu on Naruto was lifted. Kakashi pulled Naruto up and restrained him.   
  
“Very good, Sasuke,” Madara said. “My faith in you was well placed. Bring him.”  
  
Madara led them to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Naruto struggled, but Kakashi held him fast.   
  
“How does it work?” Sasuke asked with a bit of awe in his voice.   
  
Madara looked at him, seeing his younger brother, seeing a young heir, seeing family. Suigetsu, Kakashi, and Naruto saw that Sasuke had changed; he’d wrapped himself in an innocence that they all knew Sasuke had lost long ago. And Madara had fallen for it. They left Kakashi to hold Naruto and Suigetsu to stand by to cut off his legs if he ran while Madara explained everything about the statue, how to use it, and how he intended to use it. Naruto began to understand.   
  
Kakashi crouched, pulling Naruto down to his knees with him. Kakashi held him tightly to his chest. “I know you’re a sage now,” Kakashi whispered. “But I wouldn’t try it here. Sasuke will turn the Kyuubi against you if you do.”  
  
“Why are you doing this, sensei?”  
  
“I follow Sasuke’s orders. Nothing else.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Konoha’s taken everything from us; they took Itachi from us. Sasuke is all I have left. We’ve also both sworn that what happened to Itachi will never happen again.”  
  
“You’ve left no one for it to happen to. Who are you protecting?”  
  
“No one. It’s all about revenge.”  
  
Sasuke and Madara came closer again as they walked around the cavern. “Is Zetsu able to help? Is it just you now?”  
  
“No, it’s just me. But you could take your brother’s place.”  
  
“Kakashi is powerful, he could help as well. He’s completely loyal to me. We have Orochimaru’s ring.”  
  
“That will work.”  
  
“I would suggest Suigetsu as well, but he may be more useful as a guard. Tell me more about Zetsu; he has very strange abilities. Am I right in thinking—” They walked off again.   
  
“What’s going to happen to me?” Naruto asked.  
  
“Madara’s planning on sucking the Kyuubi from your body and fusing it with the other bijuu and recreate the Ten-Tailed Beast.”  
  
Naruto dropped his voice to a bare whisper. “Sasuke promised Kyuubi.”  
  
“Keep quiet.”  
  
Sasuke was chuckling. He and Madara looked rather chummy. Madara was expounding about something that Sasuke seemed to take a deep interest in.  
  
Naruto couldn’t stop struggling a little in Kakashi’s grasp.   
  
“Stop it or Sasuke will put you out again.”  
  
“I wish he would. I’ve failed everything. I’ve failed to save him. I’ve failed to become Hokage. I’ve failed to protect the village. I don’t want to see the end coming.”  
  
“You won’t,” Kakashi whispered into his ear.  
  
That seemed almost kind. For a moment, it felt good to be in Kakashi’s arms. It was the closest he’d been to anyone in a very long time. Kakashi had almost been like a father to him for a few short months. The moment of peace died quickly.  
  
Sasuke and Madara were really looking like family. Sasuke looked almost like an equal, though he was careful to look to Madara as an elder. It made Naruto’s stomach clinch.  _I’m going to die._  He never knew fear like that he felt as he watched Sasuke.  
  
“Please Kakashi-sensei, please, let me go.”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Please.”  
  
Kakashi didn’t answer him.   
  
The Uchiha came toward them. Sasuke looked fascinated by what Madara was telling him.   
  
“—I’ll deal with that soon. I’ll find her and get them back.”  
  
“You know where she might be?”  
  
“In Ame, I’m sure. She won’t abandon her village or country.”  
  
“Will you seal the Kyuubi first?”  
  
“Maybe I should retrieve them first.”  
  
“I would be proud to accompany you. She knows little about me; I could be a unknown factor.”  
  
“I think that is a good idea.”  
  
“I can put Naruto out and Kakashi and Suigetsu can guard him.”  
  
“Do that.”  
  
Naruto tried to look away, but Sasuke’s eyes trapped him and put him to sleep.  
  
“We’re going to retrieve something,” Sasuke told Kakashi. “Watch him and make sure no Konoha rats show up. Kill them if they do.”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
Sasuke smirked at him and then he and Madara were gone. Kakashi laid Naruto out on the stone floor.   
  
“I’ll watch the entrance,” Suigetsu said and walked away.  
  
Kakashi considered Naruto for a moment. His student. He had been proud of Naruto once, hopeful for his future. Did he really feel nothing for Naruto now? No. Not when he reminded Kakashi of Minato. He could never forgive Minato. Never. His blood boiled at the thought. He may have felt some hesitation to kill Sakura, but Naruto was nothing to him anymore. He saw Minato. Minato who had abandoned him. He could forgive Sakumo for leaving him, but not Minato.   
  
He threw a kunai through Naruto’s hair, cutting some of it off, but not drawing blood. That damn blond hair, sky blue eyes, and cheery demeanor . . . He loved Minato. Minato had become a replacement for his father. Whenever Minato praised him or showed confidence in him, he was sure his father would have done the same. He felt loved. He loved and respected Minato. Even after Obito’s death, he believed they had that paternal connection.   
  
But that look. It couldn’t have been his imagination; Minato had abandoned him after Rin’s death. Kakashi hated him so deeply. He had loved him so much that when he his love turned to hate, it was just as intense as his love had been if not more so. It had been the same with Sasuke; if Sasuke hadn’t loved his brother so much, he would never have committed himself so whole heartedly to destroy him. He and Sasuke were exactly alike. They both were betrayed by the person they loved the most. At least Sasuke had reconciled with his beloved brother. Kakashi did not have that luxury. He wanted to kill Naruto to kill Minato by proxy. Kill his son. To kill his  _brother_. Naruto was almost Kakashi’s brother. And all Kakashi wanted was to kill him.   
  
 _Sasuke, I don’t think you realize just how alike we are._  
  
Kakashi got comfortable and meditated to feel the flow of chakra around him and calm himself. He waited for his lover to return.   
  
\-----  
  
It didn’t take long. Two hours later, the pair returned. Madara was wounded, but Sasuke had nothing but a few burns.   
  
“Let’s preserve them and get you patched up,” Sasuke said. “You can rest, then we can seal the Kyuubi.”  
  
“Do you need my help?” Kakashi asked.  
  
“No,” Madara said.   
  
“Stay here,” Sasuke said.  
  
The pair disappeared again. Sasuke returned an hour later alone.  
  
“Madara is resting. When he wakes up, he’ll show us how to use the rings and we’ll seal the Kyuubi.”  
  
Sasuke sat down beside him. They kissed. “Just a little longer,” Sasuke said. “Just a little longer.”  
  
\-----  
  
Madara came into the statue room to find Sasuke asleep with his head in Kakashi’s lap. Kakashi was leaning back against the wall. He was a little put off by the display, but that could wait.  
  
“Sasuke.”  
  
Sasuke was standing in seconds—extremely grumpy looking, but awake and standing.   
  
“Let’s get this over with, Zetsu reports shinobi approaching.”  
  
“Do we have time?”  
  
“My . . . Zetsu army can defend us while we work.”  
  
“Very well. Suigetsu!” Sasuke bellowed. The man arrived. “Shinobi approaching. Guard us, but stay to the back as our last line. You’ll have help. Go.”  
  
Suigetsu returned to the entrance while Sasuke and Kakashi put on their rings. Madara went over the process in detail.   
  
But just as Madara was about to move into position, Sasuke lashed out in a vicious attack that took Madara unawares. He was dead before he hit the ground. Sasuke didn’t look in the least perturbed.   
  
“Itachi’s avenged,” Sasuke said. “Bring them in.”  
  
\-----  
  
Naruto woke up to find himself securely bound, but not gagged. “Sasuke?” Naruto looked around to see eight people lying on the ground around the statue.  
  
“What are you doing?”  
  
“Undoing the damage. Shut up.”  
  
Sasuke was positioning bodies in front of the statue. Naruto noticed they were breathing. When he was done, he knelt in front of Naruto.  
  
“I need your help, but I don’t trust you or the Kyuubi. It’s less stress for me if you’re aware.” He put Madara’s ring on Naruto’s finger. “Just shut up and do what I tell you, or so help me I will cut your tongue out and cut off your legs. Will you do as you’re told?”  
  
“Will you kill me?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Will you attack Konoha again?”  
  
Sasuke gave it serious thought. “I’m satisfied.” He looked over at Kakashi.  
  
“Yeah, I’m satisfied.”  
  
“We won’t attack again. At least not anytime soon. I won’t speak to the future, but not for a least a few years. As long as Konoha gives us no reason.”  
  
“Alright, I’ll help you.”  
  
Sasuke cut his bonds. “Do I have to control you or will you just do what I tell you to? This is to stop Madara’s plans once and for all.”  
  
“I’ll do what you want.”  
  
“Stand on that finger of the statue and both of you mimic me.”  
  
All three jumped up to the fingers they were assigned.   
  
“Focus and don’t move. I’ll take the lead, just focus your chakra. Naruto, use your Senjutsu. Don’t use any of the Kyuubi’s chakra; I don’t know how it will affect the statue.”  
  
They watched him and mimicked his hands.   
  
None of them opened their eyes as they worked. Naruto stood completely still and focused his Senjutsu, feeding more and more chakra into the statue, speeding up the process. They didn’t see the bijuu coming out of the statue and entering the shinobi lying on the ground. Hours passed. Luckily it took more time to suck out the bijuu than to put them back into human bodies. Naruto became aware of fighting outside as they finished the fifth bijuu.   
  
“Naruto,” Sasuke said, “channel more of your chakra into this; I know you have more. The more you use, the faster this will go.”  
  
“I don’t think I want this to finish quickly. This is the last time, isn’t it? That I’ll be able to work with you and Kakashi-sensei? We’re enemies as soon as we finish this, aren’t we?”  
  
“Naruto, the army protecting us out there, killing your fellow Konoha shinobi, is strengthened by the bijuu in this statue. The sooner we finish this, the sooner your friends will be safe. Can’t you feel it? Every one of our schoolmates are out there. Including dear Sakura. The longer this takes, the greater the chance that she will die.”  
  
Naruto funneled more chakra into the statue.   
  
They were down to the eighth bjuu.   
  
“Sasuke,” Kakashi said.   
  
“Ah, I know.”  
  
“Use Naruto?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Send me.”  
  
“No. Just finish this.”  
  
“What’s going on?” Naruto asked.  
  
“The army is very weakened. We’ll be exposed very soon.” Sasuke made a clone. “I’ll destroy the entrance and check on Suigetsu.” The clone left; the other two felt Sasuke’s contribution to the statue diminish. Kakashi’s chakra was also dropping. Only Naruto still had any real chakra left.  
  
“Naruto, use more chakra.” Naruto obeyed Sasuke’s desperate sounding order. If they hadn’t been hurrying this, they would have time to regenerate their chakra as they worked, but that wasn’t possible under the circumstances.   
  
Suigetsu came in; the clone had already been released.  
  
“The entrance is completely collapsed,” Suigetsu reported. “It’ll take at least an hour to break through.”  
  
“Good,” Sasuke said, even though he already knew that from his clone. “Rest for now; we may need you to fight them off as we flee.” Sasuke returned his full attention to the statue.  
  
All three collapsed when they were finished nearly an hour later.   
  
“I’ve got nothing left,” Sasuke gasped.   
  
“Ah,” Kakashi agreed.   
  
“I can’t move,” Naruto admitted.  
  
“But we have to get out of here.” Sasuke stood and approached Naruto. Kakashi got up and stood behind him. “Hokage,” that focused Naruto’s attention, “you’ve now got all nine bijuu. We kidnapped these eight to put the bijuu into them. They’re your responsibility now. Have your people destroy this statue.” He turned to Kakashi. “Let’s get out of here. Suigetsu.”  
  
“Wait, Sasuke!” Naruto yelled after them.  
  
“Don’t try to delay us.”  
  
“Why did you do it?”  
  
“Betray Madara? He was just as responsible for Itachi as Konoha. And who wants to live in the world he imaged? Everyone living in a genjutsu under his control? Even if he let us live outside the jutsu, what would be the fun in that? No one should have that kind of power. Destroy the statue. We don’t have the strength.”  
  
Sasuke looked into Naruto’s eyes. Sasuke was exhausted, but he was searching Naruto’s eyes. He threw a kunai into the ground in front of Naruto.  
  
“I trust you love us too much to send them after us now. You may regret it one day, but you’ll let us go.”  
  
Sasuke turned his back confidently on Naruto. Kakashi also turned away to leave without any fear of Naruto. Naruto picked up the kunai and stared at Sasuke’s back. He knew he should kill him and end all this. But he couldn’t.   
  
The new Jinchuriki began waking up. Naruto knew his duty. He went over to help them.  
  
Sasuke and Kakashi were gone.


	16. Requiescat In Pace

Sakura and Shikamaru finally broke in through collapsed entrance.   
  
“Naruto!” Sakura screamed. She was half way through screaming his name a second time when she found him. Naruto was alive and Sasuke and Kakashi were gone. More Leaf Shinobi came in behind her and Shikamaru.   
  
“What’s going on?” Sakura demanded. “The things we were fighting kept getting weaker and weaker until we were able to finish them off. Then Sasuke and that other swordsman destroyed the entrance. What happened in here?”  
  
“Where are they?” Shikamaru asked simply.  
  
“They’re gone,” Naruto said. “Sasuke killed Madara. They asked me to help them with my Senju to reverse everything Akatsuki was doing; they put the bijuu in these people and left. Sasuke said the army you fought was powered by the bijuu in this statue. They want us to destroy this statue so no one can ever do what Madara was trying to do again. We have to get these eight out of here and back to Konoha. Sakura, check on them please; they haven’t woken up.” Sakura complied. Naruto stood back.   
  
He wasn’t normally good at hiding or suppressing his emotions, but he was almost emotionally numb after all that had happened in the last day or so. But he was grim and a tear slid down his cheek. He still didn’t understand Sasuke and Kakashi’s actions, but he knew they were lost to him. At least they didn’t murder him. A complete breakdown was imminent.   
  
Shikamaru came up beside him. “How long since they left?”  
  
“Maybe ten minutes.”  
  
“Then they’re probably still here.”  
  
Yeah.”  
  
“Naruto, you can’t let your feelings for them cloud your judgment; we have to stop them.”  
  
“I know. I just couldn’t do it. He called me Hokage.”  
  
“Sasuke did?”  
  
“Yeah. He said he wouldn’t attack us for a while if at all. I know, I know, Shikamaru. Ten of you, come with us; they don’t have much chakra left. We’ll find them and finish this. Sakura, get the Jinchuriki back to Konoha. The rest, destroy the statue.”  
  
Naruto and Shikamaru lead a group after Sasuke and Kakashi. But they neglected to bring a Hyuuga. The way was booby trapped with explosive tags; they lost a few men to them. The explosions roared through the base as did the sounds of the statue’s destruction.  
  
Sasuke was lying on his stomach half on top of Kakashi who was lying on his back. Sasuke pushed himself up, disgruntled. “I’ll handle this.”  
  
Suddenly Sasuke appeared right behind Naruto. Naruto didn’t move. The six others still with him took a step back in shock. One shinobi lifted a kunai.  
  
“Don’t try it,” Sasuke said, “I’m just a clone. Not even a shadow clone; I don’t have enough chakra left for that. We’re not here anymore, but we are trying to sleep in the area and you’re keeping us up. There’s nothing left for you here. A lab I’ve raided, supplies we’ve looted; there’s nothing left. Just leave Naruto. Let us sleep.”  
  
“You can’t expect us to let you remain!” a young chunin yelled.  
  
Sasuke spoke to the back of Naruto’s head. “We’ve destroyed Akatsuki, we’ve given you all the bijuu, and I’ve given you your dream, I’ve made you Hokage. You owe us a head start; you owe us an uninterrupted night’s sleep. But I do have one other request—one I wager you’ll all like: give no capture order; order everyone to kill us on sight.” Sasuke walked around the blond to look him in the eye. “Let us die as warriors, let us die like Shinobi. Don’t haul us back for execution—it wouldn’t be pretty if you managed it. And don’t try to capture one of us to lure the other out; we will either abandon the other or kill him. I hope you understand where we stand to each other: expendable.   
  
“So that’s all we ask: let us sleep for the night and kill rather than capture us. All we ask for the title of Hokage.”  
  
“It’s a lot to ask for what you’ve done,” the chunin said.  
  
Annoyed, Sasuke turned his attention to this random underling. “Who are you?”   
  
“I never wanted to become Hokage like this,” Naruto interrupted. “We’ll leave. We need to rebuild Konoha. Revenge is not worth it.” He looked at the others. “Look what it did to Sasuke and Kakashi. Revenge and hate just breed more hate; Nagato taught me that. My father agreed and Sasuke’s proved it. We won’t hunt you, Sasuke. But if anyone comes across you, they are ordered to kill you and Kakashi on sight. But we won’t seek revenge. Let’s go home.”  
  
Sasuke stepped back. Naruto, in a show of trust—or complete depression and not caring what happened to him—turned his back to Sasuke and led his group back the way they came.  
  
“You are already proving a great Hokage, Naruto.” Naruto stopped and looked back looking a decade older. “You almost make me wish things could have turned out differently. Konoha will be safe at least until you rebuild. I doubt we’ll ever attack it again. Don’t order anyone to do what Itachi was ordered to do. Do that and you will be safe from us.”  
  
“Never,” Naruto agreed. “I really am sorry about your brother, Sasuke, and the rest of your clan. I’ll make sure everyone knows what a hero Itachi was to the village. Hiding the truth is meaningless now.”  
  
“Thank you, Naruto. Hokage-sama.” Sasuke bowed to him. He turned to walk away, but turned back. “Oh, and by the way: I lied. I don’t even have enough chakra to make a clone.” Sasuke jumped away.   
  
“Leave him be,” Naruto ordered. “Let’s go home.”  
  
“Yes, Hokage-sama,” Shikamaru said.  
  
\-----  
  
The trio woke up a day later in this bedroom they’d found. They decided to stick together with Konoha gunning for them and the possibility of Madara having some allies left. Sasuke assured Kakashi that this was not Madara’s bedroom; neither of them were comfortable occupying his room.   
  
Sasuke spoke out loud to his brother while Suigetsu went to locate the kitchen and make breakfast.  
  
“We’ve finished it, Aniki, Madara’s dead and Akatsuki is finished. We’ve given Konoha all nine bijuu. It’s all over.” He could feel Itachi’s relief and a bit of sadness.   
  
 _Naruto?_  
  
“He’s safe. I expect he’ll be made Hokage now. The Fifth was killed by Pein. It’s all over.”  
  
 _I’m happy for you, Sasuke._  
  
Sasuke switched to an inward conversation.  _You don’t sound happy.  
  
I don’t like the idea of my little brother and my lover killing for my sake.  
  
It wasn’t just for you,_ Sasuke said warmly.  _I love you, but I did it for myself as well. And Akatsuki is finished. We’re free.  
  
Yes._ Itachi let more relief flow between them and some manufactured happiness. He’d always been suspicious about his little brother’s doings and now he was worried about what they’d done. Just want did Sasuke do to make him so relieved and relaxed after all the hate he’d stored up over the years? Why did he and Kakashi always smell of blood? Why was he becoming scared of his lover and brother? What had he done?  
  
That night as Sasuke slept, Itachi carefully tried to see his memories. Itachi had a lot of experience and talent with venturing into other people’s minds. Sasuke didn’t stir as his brother eased deeper into his mind. The first memories he found were those concerning Madara and Naruto. Deeper and he found Sasuke with Naruto surrounded by Konoha shinobi, then he and Kakashi fighting other shinobi, then cutting off Tsunade’s hands and killing her. Itachi shrank back. They lied to him. They had killed the Hokage.   
  
Itachi went back into the flow of memories and came to Neji. If he had a physical body of his own, he would have been sick. He could feel Sasuke’s thoughts in that memory: he’d known this boy, respected him, maybe even liked him.  
  
Sasuke stirred and Itachi retreated. Sasuke was dreaming of the memory Itachi had been watching. And it was turning Sasuke on. Itachi snuck a peek and was horrified again. He saw what Sasuke and Kakashi had done afterward: fucked in a pool of blood and on top of a dead body. What had his sweet, innocent little brother become? And his lover?   
  
With Sasuke distracted, Itachi searched through his brother’s memories.  _This is my punishment,_ Itachi thought,  _knowing what my actions of done to those I love the most._  He’d done it all for Sasuke and his village and he’d affectedly destroyed them both. The brother he loved was already dead; he died the night Itachi killed everyone else in their clan.  
  
And Kakashi.   
  
They both reeked of blood and had for a while; now he knew why. They were both wallowing in darkness. Kakashi had called Itachi is light, but he’d dimmed when he became a something like a ghost. Itachi could not save them. That light was about to go out.  
  
 _I wish I could save you both. I wish . . ._  
  
There was nothing left for him in the world. Nothing and no one.   
  
\-----  
  
Suigetsu took off a few hours later. The Uchiha brothers agreed that they would miss Suigetsu; Kakashi didn’t express anything of the sort.  
  
They left Madara’s base. Sasuke led Kakashi to the waterfall where he’d spend some time away from Orochimaru and the wild cherry trees above it, a truly beautiful spot. Even up here among the trees, the mist from the waterfall moistened their clothes.  
  
Itachi decided it was time he left. Sasuke’s mood turned very depressed when Itachi announced that. That was the only warning Kakashi got as they lounged among the falling blossoms.   
  
In the midst of Sasuke’s depression he let Itachi take over.   
  
“Sempai, it’s time to let me go.”  
  
Kakashi froze. He was going to lose Itachi again. At least this would be gentler than his sudden death in his arms during their escape.   
  
Itachi stood and crouched in front of Kakashi from where he was sitting across from Kakashi. He pulled down his mask put his hand on Kakashi’s bare cheek as he stared into his gray eye. Kakashi was hesitant to open his Sharingan eye, but he did. Itachi considered transforming into his old form, but this was going to be painful enough.   
  
Itachi’s eyes teared up. “I love you. Maybe we’ll meet again on the other side.” He suppressed a sob. “Whatever you did as revenge against Konoha, let that be enough. It’s over.”   
  
Kakashi’s face fell. “You knew.”  
  
“I know the two of you have done something. I don’t care. Just stop.”  
  
“I swear to you that we didn’t destroy Konoha. It was Pein. We really did rush to stop Pein.”  
  
 _It’s the truth; that was Pein,_  Sasuke said within.  _We did kill the elders including Danzo,_  he admitted.  
  
Kakashi saw Itachi’s eyes go a bit vacant as he listened to his brother. He came back. “It doesn’t matter now. Just leave Konoha alone for now on.”  
  
“I swear it,” Kakashi promised.  
  
 _I’m satisfied,_  Sasuke said.  
  
“I love you both so much. I’m so sorry for everything.”  
  
Kakashi put his hand to his cheek. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing was your fault. I will love you forever. I’ll take care of Sasuke until I die.” He took Itachi’s hand and kissed it in a chaste and chivalrous gesture. “Rest in peace. I mean that. Don’t worry about us. You, more than anyone else, deserve to rest. You deserve peace.”  
  
“Peace,” Itachi mused. “It’s the one thing I wanted and never found.”  
  
Kakashi took him in his arms and this was one of the few times Itachi didn’t feel the darkness, he only felt warmth and love. They hugged as tightly as they could. Itachi wanted to hang onto this moment into death.  
  
“Don’t let go of me,” Itachi sobbed. “I want to leave while in your arms.”  
  
“Alright.” Kakashi was barely containing himself.   
  
Sasuke’s presence pressed in on Itachi and it too was warm and loving. He was being hugged physically and spiritually by the two people he loved the most.   
  
“I love you both. Goodbye.”  
  
Kakashi felt Sasuke’s body sag. He held him for a few moments expecting Sasuke to return, but the body was still. He checked the pulse and it was still there. He cradled the body until Sasuke started to stir.   
  
“Sasuke?”  
  
Sasuke was confused and his thoughts whirled. “Ah. Empty. I felt . . . drawn. Orochi . . . maru . . . flailing. He was drawn too. Still numb. Like Itachi . . . ripped from me.”  
  
Kakashi held him closer. Sasuke was cold and he tried to warm him. Kakashi made a fire using a jutsu.   
  
Kakashi held him closer and let Sasuke cry into chest. Sasuke didn’t mind the tears mixing with the waterfall spray making his hair damp.  
  
  
\--------------------  
  
 **Original Ending (but the story’s not over)**  
  
This is the original ending: death. But I had a change of heart while writing. This was written very early in the process of writing the story.  
  
\---------  
  
Kakashi lay down on the ground and laughed. It was over, they’d done it. Sasuke fell beside him. Kakashi pulled his mask down and looked up at his young lover happily. Something changed in Sasuke’s eyes. The joy was ripped away to be replaced with concern.  
  
“Senpai. What have you done?”  
  
“It’s over Itachi. We took our revenge. Konoha is gone.”  
  
Sasuke’s face was shocked, his eyes wide in disbelief. “I didn’t want that. It’s the last thing I wanted.”  
  
Kakashi’s expression hardly changed, he and Sasuke knew Itachi would object. “Madara said you held Sasuke’s life more valuable than the village.”  
  
“That’s true.”  
  
“Sasuke and I valued your life just as much. Now no one will ever be used the way you were used and no one will suffer the same way we three have, at least not by Konoha.” Kakashi put a hand to Sasuke’s cheek. “Never again, Itachi.”  
  
“No, never again,” Itachi repeated. He leaned forward and kissed Kakashi deeply. He tasted like Sasuke, but the way he kissed was uniquely Itachi. They parted. “I love you, Senpai.”  
  
“I love you so much, Itachi. I have no regrets.”  
  
Itachi kissed him again. And drove Sasuke’s sword through Kakashi’s heart. He kissed him until he was gone, only a few seconds.  
  
Itachi looked at the blade and slowly pulled it out. A few tears fell as he saw his lover’s blood.   
  
“I do, Kakashi.”  
  
He aimed the point at his own chest, Sasuke’s chest. He felt a rush of panic from Sasuke, but Itachi pulled the blade into his chest before Sasuke could react. Sasuke’s body fell forward onto the blade, the sword propping his body up.   
  
At least two of them died without regrets.


	17. Coming Winter

“Winter’s coming.” The shorter of the pair pulled his black cloak tighter around his neck. The two of them walked with the hoods of their black cloaks up, clearly displaying the Uchiha fan emblazoned on their backs.   
  
They walked along a game trail. Kakashi didn’t even register the colder breeze. It had been nearly three years since Konoha was almost completely destroyed. Sasuke was now merely 6 cm shorter than his lover. Sasuke had also grown a short, sparse mustache and goatee—that being the extent his Uchiha blood would allow him to grow. He readjusted his sword on his back.   
  
Kakashi still wore Itachi’s slashed Konoha headband covering his Sharingan. Obito’s eye had given out a year ago, but Sasuke had taken his own original eyes from Madara’s lab and implanted his left one in Kakashi’s empty socket. Kakashi had found that Sasuke’s eye was far more powerful than Obito’s, but without Uchiha blood it didn’t give him the Eternal Mangekyo.  
  
They stopped in the middle of nowhere and striped their cloaks and gear. Sasuke hid their things while Kakashi lifted his headband. They jumped up into the tree to get a better vantage point to see their target. A camp for one man lay in a small clearing. Sasuke scanned the area for the owner of this camp.   
  
“Two o’clock. Hunting.” Sasuke spoke so low that Kakashi would not be able to hear him if he weren’t a foot away. “He’s Jounin level, S-class, so be careful.”  
  
Kakashi smiled a little under his mask. While on the hunt, Sasuke rarely showed concern for his older lover; it was nice to hear.   
  
Sasuke gestured for them to move in.  
  
The Jounin only had three seconds warning. The pair of rouges attacked. Sasuke overestimated his prey. The man avoided Kakashi’s kunai, but was partially paralyzed by several of Sasuke’s Chidori senbon. Kakashi countered a jutsu and the man broke into a clumsy run, trying to flee the Sharingan users. He of course recognized them; the most famous outlaws in the shinobi world.   
  
The Jounin ran right into Sasuke’s sword. Sasuke had to pull his sword away at the last second to avoid completely decapitating the man; it would be troublesome to have to carry the corpse  _and_  the head.   
  
“This is what’s passing for an S-Class criminal these days?” Sasuke said as he cleaned the blood from his sword. “It makes  _us_  look bad. I’m not even ‘excited.’”  
  
Kakashi said nothing as he summoned Bull, his largest ninken, and tied the man to the dog’s back. They retrieved their possessions and anything of interest from the man’s camp. With Bull plodding loyally beside Kakashi with the body secured to his back, they found a different game path and followed it.  
  
“I’m sick of walking,” Sasuke said. “We’re taking the winter off.”  
  
“You’re one to complain,” Kakashi countered. “I’m a over a decade older than you; I’m even more sick of walking.”  
  
They came to a manmade path that led to a small waypoint for travelers; they stopped near the entrance. Kakashi picked up the body and signaled for Bull to leave. The dog obeyed and vanished. Kakashi shouldered the body and he and Sasuke entered the small building.   
  
“I’m not walking anymore,” Sasuke continued.  
  
“You’re welcome to stay here,” Kakashi sighed. They entered the men’s restroom and Sasuke touched the wall between a pair of urinals. The wall fell away. Kakashi entered the hidden room and dropped the body on a table.   
  
Sasuke folded his arms and waited for their contact. He took his time coming.  
  
“There is no way I’m spending any more time in this filthy place than I have to,” Sasuke said. “I’ll summon a hawk and  _fly_  to the next town.”  
  
“Bitch, bitch, bitch.” Sasuke always got bitchy when they made a delivery. Part of it was how much Sasuke hated other people. Kakashi thought maybe they should just buy a mansion somewhere secluded and hire some servants who could be invisible and provide the bitchy little Uchiha with everything he needed but keep him away from people.   
  
Their contact appeared.  
  
“Ah, Sasuke-san, Kakashi-san. What have you brought me today?”  
  
“Cut the crap,” Sasuke said. “I’m not in the mood.”  
  
“When are you ever?” Kakashi mumbled.   
  
The third man stopped paying attention and was looking through a bingo book for the face of the corpse in front of him.   
  
“Ahh, this one is worth eighteen million.” He went to the back of the room to fetch a suitcase and presented it to Sasuke. Sasuke threw it on top of the body, opened it, and began flipping through the stacks of bills with his Sharingan, counting them while he confirmed their authenticity.   
  
“Let’s go.”  
  
“I’ve got some new ones,” the other said.  
  
Sasuke looked at him only because of the amusement in the man’s voice. He stared into the man’s eyes and held out his hand. Five pages. Two missing-nins, one powerful and legitimate shinobi, and two others. Kakashi and himself.   
  
“Our bounty’s gone up,” Sasuke said. “Three hundred and fifty million. Each.”  
  
“Highest bounty I’ve ever handled,” the man said.  
  
“Not planning on cashing in, are you?”  
  
“No way. You two are my best bounty hunters. Just wanted you to be aware that the others are beginning to consider taking you two down.”  
  
“At least Naruto’s keeping his promise; kill, no capture order.”  
  
“Nice to know,” Kakashi said. “Let’s get out of here. I need to breathe.”  
  
Sasuke pocketed the wanted posters and grabbed the suitcase. Once outside, Sasuke summoned one of his hawks and they rode off to the next town.  
  
\-----  
  
Well, it wasn’t a town. The closest inn was another waytop for travelers on this secondary road through the Fire Country, but it was more than free beds and a stincking bathroom, but a nice three story inn. The hawk let them off a mile away and Sasuke used his Sharingan to detect any higher than normal chakra which would indicate shinobi. The coast was clear. They had no fears of the propiotor turning them in because the inn would have failed if it weren’t for Sasuke’s generous hush money.   
  
A small stack of money gave them their choice of rooms and food for as long as they wanted to stay.   
  
The only other people in the lounge barely gave the new pair a glance, they looked dangerous enough to not even want to make eye contact. They went up to their room at the top of the building.   
  
Sasuke put the room in order, unpacking and opening the windows while Kakashi showered. Sasuke then took his time under the hot water, relishing having a proper shower for the first time in weeks.   
  
Sasuke came out of the bathroom naked still toweling his hair. Kakashi was waiting for him, still naked. Sasuke threw the towel back in the bathroom and allowed Kakashi to pull him down onto the bed. Kakashi finger combed Sasuke’s hair for a while as he sat with Sasuke in front of him, then Sasuke handed him the comb he’s laid out on the nightstand earlier. Kakashi combed the duck butt out. Sasuke hadn’t cut his hair recently, but his hair still stood up in the back as it always had. Kakashi combed it straight out in the back. Even after doing that, he pressed his face into it. He inhaled deeply.   
  
Sasuke chuckled. “It hasn’t even been two days since we fucked.”  
  
“It’s been a few weeks since we’ve done it on a bed.”  
  
Sasuke twisted around to kiss Kakashi. Sasuke pushed Kakashi down, kissing him.  
  
“I thought you were tired,” Kakashi said during a brief pause in their kiss.  
  
“I thought you were old,” Sasuke countered during another pause.  
  
“Old _er_.”  
  
Sasuke let the older man turn him onto his back. Kakashi used Kotetzu’s syrup jutsu to make a bit of lube in his mouth. He stuck two fingers in his mouth to coat them then prepared Sasuke quickly.   
  
Sasuke still felt so tight; it felt like Sasuke could break his fingers with that sweet ass of his. As he stroked the gland within Sasuke, the younger man loosened enough that Kakashi was ready to fuck him.   
  
Sasuke was the hard ass you never wanted to mess with of the pair; unyielding, arrogant, and often violent; Kakashi was normally the calm, reasonable one. But sometimes in bed, like now, Sasuke gave up all control, relaxed into the bed, and became soft and affectionate. Sasuke’s lay his arms on either side of his head, opening his entire body up to Kakashi.   
  
Kakashi pressed into his body slowly. Sasuke moaned once his lover filled him. It was unlike their hurried, violent fuckings over the corpses of their victims. Kakashi rocked into the willing body below him. Sasuke grunted with pleasure with every thrust. Sasuke reached up to caress Kakashi’s bare cheek and neck, then up to run his fingers through Kakashi’s long, wild hair.   
  
“Kakashi,” Sasuke moaned.  
  
“Call me ‘sensei.’ Reminded of all the reasons I should never have touched you.”  
  
“Fuck me, sensei. Corrupt me, dirty me. You took the last of my innocence, take it away again. Violate me. Fuck me, sensei.”  
  
Kakashi was even more turned on by Sasuke’s words and fucked him harder. Sasuke couldn’t talk anymore, each thrust forcing the air from his lungs with pleasured moans. Kakashi made it worse by kissing him, sucking the air from his body and cutting off most of his air. Sasuke didn’t complain, just kissed back. Kakashi let him go before he could pass out. Sasuke’s eyes had turned red and he looked up at Kakashi with lust as he gasped for air.   
  
Kakashi was getting close and he attacked Sasuke’s neck. His kiss became a bite on already marked skin when he came deep inside Sasuke. Sasuke was only a beat behind him, sent over the edge by the teeth stabbing into his neck. He cam between them.   
  
Kakashi barely caught his breath before he licked up his lover’s semen then kissed him.   
  
“You are so sexy, baby,” Kakashi said after Sasuke had licked the inside of his mouth clean. “I love you.”  
  
Sasuke hummed against the older man’s lips, his eyes, black now, returned the sentiment. “I have to take another shower.”  
  
“Why?” Kakashi licked Sasuke’s face.   
  
“Cause twenty minutes ago was the cleanest I’ve been in weeks and I would like to enjoy it longer than twenty minutes.”  
  
“I’ll clean you up thoroughly with my tongue.”  
  
“My ass too? I can feel it running out of me.”  
  
“Well, you’re such a tight ass, you shouldn’t worry. But if it would please you.”  
  
Kakashi got between Sasuke’s legs, lifted his hips up, and tongued his ass.   
  
“If you keep that up, I’m going to have to fuck you,” Sasuke whispered.  
  
“Promise?” Kakashi asked between licks.  
  
Sasuke moaned and let Kakashi continue for a little while longer. “Stop. I don’t think I can cum again.”  
  
Kakashi gave him another lick and pulled away. He tried to kiss Sasuke, but Sasuke playfully pushed Kakashi’s head to the side with a smile. “Go wash your mouth out, bastard.” Kakashi smiled at him and did go wash up. He bought back a damp cloth and threw it to Sasuke. Sasuke threw it back to him after he’d cleaned up.  
  
Sasuke was finally relaxed and could smile. It took nearly a year before Kakashi could get the kid to smile after Itachi died for the second time, but he continued to have a stick up his ass most of the time. Kakashi had gotten over Itachi a little faster having gone through it once before, but Itachi had been ripped from Sasuke. Sasuke tried to hide it from Kakashi, but he could see Itachi had left a hole in Sasuke’s mind and soul. He could see it when Sasuke’s eyes went vacant for a moment or two.   
  
Sasuke got dressed in fresh clothes and sat by the window. Kakashi also dressed. He looked up to see that vacant look in Sasuke’s fave. Sasuke was looking out the window, but there was nothing behind his eyes. Kakashi sighed. At least it wasn’t happening as often as it used to. If Sasuke were focused, it wouldn’t happen, but when he was bored . . . It was almost like he was trying to find or talk to Itachi. But Itachi wasn’t there anymore.  
  
Kakashi went over and pulled Sasuke’s head against his waist. He played with the raven hair then crouched to kiss his forehead. Life had returned to Sasuke’s eyes.  
  
“I really do love you, Sasuke.”  
  
“I love you. I’m sorry I’ve been a jerk recently, but I’m tired.”  
  
“I know it. We’ll stay here as long as you want.” Sasuke leaned his head against Kakashi’s. “You should sleep. I’ll stay awake and tend our weapons. I’ll wake you for dinner.”  
  
Sasuke nodded, straightened, then crawled under the blanket and fell asleep without stripping.


	18. Temporary Truce

Kakashi lied. He didn’t wake Sasuke for dinner. Sasuke needed sleep; they hadn’t stopped for real rest for two weeks and Sasuke was easily irritated when he was tired or just woke up. Kakashi was still rather laid back and held up better. Sasuke had also spent a good amount of time in one hideout before Orochimaru moved them; he wasn’t used to constant travel as Kakashi was when doing mission after mission. And Kakashi would follow him into hell no matter how far away it was. In a way, he had followed Sasuke to hell; after all they’d done, they were sure to end up there. But he didn’t regret it.  
  
Kakashi brought up a cold supper for Sasuke for when he woke up. He kept a watch for a while out of habit, then crawled in beside Sasuke.  
  
Normally, Sasuke getting up didn’t wake him, but the way Sasuke got up did. Sasuke was concentrating. It was only about midnight. Sasuke moved to the window and carefully looked out.  
  
“There’s a squad of shinobi approaching,” Sasuke whispered.   
  
“With intent?”  
  
“No. They seem to be headed here for a place to rest. No, they are walking with purpose, but they’re not in pursuit.”  
  
They both forced their chakra levels as low as possible and forced themselves to complete calm to prevent the shinobi from sensing them.   
  
“How far away?”  
  
“Summon him quickly.”  
  
Kakashi summoned Akino, his stealthiest ninkin. “Go below and listen in to what the approaching shinobi say and do.”  
  
Akino nodded. Kakashi held the door open for him and then left it open a crack. Akino descended and hid behind a potted plant. Soon the shinobi entered.  
  
The four men came up to the landlord. “We’re looking for these men.” The leader of the squad opened a bingo book. “This one is about twenty now,” he said pointing to Sasuke’s genin photograph.  
  
“I’ve only seen them on the wanted posters.” The landlord gestured to the poster showing Sasuke and Kakashi’s face on the wall.   
  
“We’re trying to get a message to them. We’ll leave this with you and if you see them, give it to them. Understood?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
The shinobi handed the landlord an envelope and then left. The landlord tapped the envelope on the desk a few times, wondering if he should walk it up to the pair’s room, but decided it would be better to hold onto it until they came down for breakfast or ordered it brought to their room.  
  
Akino returned to the room.  
  
“The shinobi left, but they left a letter for you in case you came to this inn.”  
  
Sasuke and Kakashi looked at each other in confusion. Sasuke got up and went down to collect the letter. He returned turning the envelope over in his hands, examining it with his Sharingan.  
  
“It doesn’t appear to be a trap,” Sasuke said without hiding his shock. He carefully opened the envelope and unfolded the letter. He read it out loud.   
  
“’Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei, I know you both want nothing more than to see Konoha destroyed and all of us dead, but I beg you to help us. Kabuto has begun an attack on Konoha. He’s using the same Edo Tensei technique that Orochimaru used to bring back the First and the Second Hokages when he killed the Third. He’s using many great shinobi, even Haku and Zabuza and we’ve seen one member of Akatsuki so far. A few people believe they’ve seen Itachi.’” Sasuke paused. “’I fear he may be using Itachi as an undead puppet like the others.’” Sasuke stopped again. “’Please help us. We’ll declare a truce for now, just help us. Naruto.’”  
  
Sasuke shifted his eyes to stare at the ground as he thought about it. “Get some sleep. I’ll finish eating then join you. We’ll need our strength to get to Konoha and fight that son of a bitch.”  
  
Kakashi nodded and obeyed.  
  
\-----  
  
They came to the top of the cliff, not wanting to use the main entrance or see the Hokage faces. They looked over the village for a moment before ANBU surrounded them.  
  
“I believe we were invited,” Sasuke said.  
  
Naruto appeared in front of them. “I’m glad you got the message.” He took in the pair’s appearance; Kakashi hadn’t changed at all, but Sasuke’s sparse bread was new to him. Naruto had let his hair grow a little, but didn’t wear it like his father had. He finally looked like an adult.   
  
“You’ve seen Itachi?” Sasuke asked.  
  
“I haven’t, but several others saw him. I know you’ve become mercenaries; I’m willing to pay you, but no one else is willing.”  
  
“That’s insulting,” Sasuke said. “I’m here because of Itachi and Kabuto, not to help you. Considering our history, expecting more than that or paying us if we were to help, is insulting. We’re not poor or petty or forgiving. We’re here to free my brother and murder that son of a bitch. We don’t care about Konoha; he can destroy it for all we care, but the moment we have a shot at him, we’re taking him down. Then we’ll leave. It’s open season again once Kabuto is dead.”  
  
Naruto nodded. “Agreed. No Konoha shinobi will attack you until Kabuto is dead.”  
  
“Where is he? I want to get this over with as quickly as possible. Wouldn’t want to get the urge to destroy this fucking village. Again.”  
  
Kakashi just stood there listening and eyeing the ANBU around them, not looking at Naruto. Sasuke hadn’t really changed his attitude, but Kakashi’s was a completely different person to Naruto. He was the closest he or Sasuke had to a father figure and he had not just abandoned Naruto, now Kakashi hated him just because he reminded Kakashi of Minato.  
  
“Shikamaru’s team will support you and guide you to where we believe Kabuto is right now,” Naruto said. “Ino is a medical-nin and has been ordered to render you aid. It’s an eight man team; ten with the two of you. I’ll be leading another team. There are six teams in total who will be looking for Kabuto. If any other team finds him, they will let me and Shikamaru know. We’ll move out now.”  
  
Naruto led the pair to Shikamaru’s team; ANBU was on edge having these two so close behind their Hokage, but the pair had no killing intent except that which was directed at Kabuto and ANBU felt that. They almost felt sorry for him.  
  
\-----  
  
The outlaws kept their distance from the rest of their team. In fact, they didn’t really feel like part of a team, more like these others were tagalongs. All eight of these Konoha shinobi wanted nothing more than sink a kunai in their backs.   
  
Kabuto wasn’t where they thought he’d be. They searched the area and found only traces. Kabuto  _had_  been here.   
  
When night fell, Kakashi and Sasuke moved away from the others; they would eat and sleep separately. Kakashi took the first watch, pulling Sasuke’s head down to his pillow next to where he sat. The Konoha shinobi had their own watch.  
  
Kakashi felt something familiar nearby; it made his hair stand on end. He looked up and saw Itachi. Kakashi’s heart clinched. It felt like a vice gripped it when he saw Kabuto move in behind Itachi.   
  
‘Alone,’ Kabuto mouthed. He and Itachi melted into the darkness.   
  
Kakashi looked down into the fire and thought about it. He was two full minutes thinking. He looked down at Sasuke’s sleeping face and then made a clone to follow the pair silently into the darkness.  
  
Itachi’s presence worked better than a scent to guide Kakashi through the darkness. Itachi shook his head, wanting Kakashi to leave, but he wouldn’t speak. Kakashi looked at Kabuto.  
  
“I promised him that if he tried to alert anyone else to the danger, I’d force him to kill you all right now,” Kabuto explained.   
  
“What do you want with me?” Kakashi asked.  
  
“I know about you and Itachi here. I want to offer you a trade. You can have Itachi back. He’s immortal and I can give him back his will. He can be yours again. In exchange, I want his brother. In order to finish what Orochimaru started, in order to become the ultimate shinobi, I need the body of a young, healthy,  _living_ , male Uchiha. Unfortunately for all of us, there’s only one left in the world.” Kakashi’s eyes narrowed. “Bring Sasuke to me, unharmed, unconscious, and bound and I will release Itachi to you and relinquish my control over him.”  
  
“Please don’t do this, Kakashi,” Itachi begged in a low voice. “You can’t.”  
  
Kakashi stared at Itachi for a long time then looked at Kabuto. “Alright.”  
  
“No,” Itachi said, still trying to restrain his voice.  
  
“I love you far too much, Itachi,” Kakashi said. “Give me a little time to catch Sasuke at the right moment.”  
  
“Not too long,” Kabuto said.  
  
“A day, maybe three.”  
  
“Hurry.”  
  
Kakashi nodded and looked at Itachi again. It didn’t perturb Kabuto that Kakashi’s eye was emotionless and Itachi believed that he’d sunk too low to show emotion. If he would betray Sasuke to a fate—no doubt—worse than death then he must have completely died inside and believed that Itachi was the one thing that could save him from himself. Itachi wanted to scream at him not to do it, but he didn’t want to be used to kill his lover and brother and Konoha shinobi—even if he didn’t succeed.   
  
The clone released himself and Kakashi, still sitting by the fire, thought about what had happened. He looked down at Sasuke’s sleeping face again, then stroked his beautiful white skin. Sasuke felt safe in Kakashi’s presence and didn’t wake, just snuggled in a little more.  
  
\-----  
  
Shikamaru was watching the rouges like a hawk; only he and Sasuke noticed anything different about Kakashi. Shikamaru sent messages to Naruto.   
  
Two nights later, Kakashi made his move. As he woke Sasuke to take his watch, he used his Sharingan to put him out. Sasuke trusted Kakashi and had no defenses up, especially as he was being shaken gently awake. Kakashi bound him and slipped into the trees without direction, counting on Kabuto coming to him. He was right. Kakashi set Sasuke down gently on the ground, but he didn’t step back.  
  
“How do I know you won’t keep control of Itachi and use him to attack me?”  
  
“I can only give you my personal assurance. Itachi will also verbally warn you. That’s the one thing this jutsu doesn’t control. And I’ll let him stay ‘alive’ as long as I live. Trust me, Kakashi-san, we both want Konoha destroyed. So does Sasuke-kun. In the end, he’ll get what he wants too.”  
  
Kakashi nodded and stepped back from Sasuke’s body. If Itachi was physically capable of it, he would have cried. Kakashi had changed so much; Itachi couldn’t love him anymore, not if he could do this to Sasuke. He was forced to walk toward Kakashi by Kabuto’s control. He looked down at Sasuke as he passed him. He stopped in front of Kakashi. Kakashi pulled his mask down, put a hand to Itachi’s cold cheek and kissed him. Itachi didn’t kiss back. Kakashi pulled back and just stared into Itachi’s eyes for a moment before he replaced his mask.  
  
“I assume you’ll relinquish control when we’re far enough away?” Kakashi asked Kabuto.  
  
“Yes. But first, I want to check the goods.” Kabuto knelt next to Sasuke’s body. He put a hand on Sasuke’s forehead and pulled up an eyelid. Suddenly both of Sasuke’s eyes were open and blazing with the Mangekyou. Kabuto was trapped and froze.  
  
“That worked better than I thought,” Sasuke said as he slipped the ropes from his wrists. He stood up and turned to his brother. “You worry too much, Aniki.”  
  
“I used my Sharingan to tell Sasuke all about Kabuto’s offer,” Kakashi explained. “Then Sasuke informed Shikamaru. Naruto should be on his way.”  
  
“I’ll kill this bastard in front of the Hokage and hopefully, they’ll let us slip away again.” Sasuke approached his brother and lover. “We really don’t want to start another war.” He hugged Itachi and Itachi was surprised to feel Kabuto’s control gone. Itachi hugged him back.   
  
When Sasuke let him go, Itachi turned to Kakashi to hug and kiss him. “I’m sorry I doubted you.”  
  
“I’m glad I played my part well enough to trick you.”   
  
“You won’t keep me here, will you? I want to be released, I don’t want to live anymore, not on more stolen time.”  
  
“Do you remember anything from the afterlife?” Kakashi asked.  
  
“No. But I do want to go back. My time is over.”  
  
Kakashi brushed Itachi’s hair back. “Yeah, we’re going to release you and kill Kabuto.”  
  
“I’m going to get all the information I can from his mind before Naruto shows up.” Sasuke crouched in front of Kabuto and entered his mind.   
  
Kakashi pulled Itachi into his arms and held him. “I’ve missed you so much, but I think Sasuke’s missed you more. I love you so much, Itachi.”  
  
“I love you too. Though, I didn’t think I could anymore when you turned on Sasuke.”  
  
“We’re very close; I would never betray him. We came here to help Konoha just because of you, to free you.”  
  
Sasuke came back over having learned everything of interest from Kabuto’s mind. He snaked his hands between Kakashi and Itachi’s bodies to hold Itachi around the waist.  
  
“I’ve missed you terribly,” Sasuke said. “I miss being able to talk to you. I really got used to having you in my mind.”  
  
Itachi leaned back away from Kakashi and turned in Sasuke’s arms. He ruffled his little brother’s hair and then stroked that pathetic beard with a smile.   
  
“My baby brother’s finally an adult. Are you happy?”  
  
“Content. Maybe more than content. With Kakashi, yes, sometimes I’m happy. I want you to know something . . .”  
  
Naruto and his entourage arrived to see the three Sharingan users showering each other with affection. Kakashi had an instinct about people seeing his face and managed to keep it hidden from the newcomers.  
  
Itachi petted Sasuke after Sasuke informed him of some other changes in their lives which the Konoha shinobi could not hear, but Itachi looked very happy.   
  
“We’re not ruled by revenge anymore,” Sasuke informed his brother.  
  
“I’m glad.” He hugged Sasuke tighter, then turned back to Kakashi to hug and kiss him again. “Let me go now.” Itachi stroked Kakashi’s face. After Itachi’s fingers left his skin, Kakashi raised his mask.  
  
Sasuke turned Itachi around and seemed to just stare at each other, though there might have been more going on through their eyes. Sasuke turned away and crouched in front of Kabuto again. Itachi looked into Kakashi’s eye as he melted into ash and the corpse at his core sank to the ground.   
  
Sasuke was preparing to leave Kabuto’s mind again and kill him when Kabuto was able to break the jutsu. Panicking, Kabuto pushed Sasuke away. Sasuke turned the momentum of Kabuto’s shove into a flip.   
  
“You learned more from Orochimaru than I thought,” Sasuke said. “Very few without a Sharingan could break that genjutsu.”  
  
“Don’t underestimate me, Uchiha,” Kabuto growled.   
  
Naruto, Shikamaru, and several other Konoha shinobi joined Sasuke and Kakashi in fighting the Snake Sage. Genjutsu would not work, but against about a dozen powerful shinobi, Kabuto could not survive. In the end, it was Sasuke’s katana that lopped off Kabuto’s horned head, slaying the dragon.   
  
The tension and killing intent did not die with Kabuto. Kakashi moved to Sasuke’s side and the two rouges stood opposite Naruto and his fellows. Sasuke and Kakashi radiated nothing at all, no killing intent; they really didn’t want to fight, they just wanted to slink away.   
  
“I’m sorry, Sasuke,” Naruto said. “I didn’t ask you here in order to kill you.”  
  
“Nor did we come here to fight Konoha.”  
  
Naruto attacked Sasuke and Kakashi took on all the others. They seemed evenly matched. Kakashi took down three men while Sasuke and his Susanoo fought the Toad Sage. (AN: In this timeline, Naruto never learned from Killer Bee, so there’s no Ultimate Kyuubi Mode in this story)  
  
After nearly ten minutes of fighting, Naruto’s Rasengan forced its way through Susanoo. The power of it was halved, but it was still coming toward Sasuke. Sasuke was in too much pain to move much, but he avoided a direct hit to the chest. But Naruto was readjusting as well. The Rasengan struck Sasuke in the throat.   
  
Kakashi glanced over, feeling something wrong with Susanoo. He saw Sasuke fall and Naruto toppling over him. Susanoo dissolved. Kakashi abandoned his own fight and leapt to Sasuke’s side, taking a vicious slash to his right bicep and across his back in the process. Sasuke was still alive, but he was gravely wounded, struggling to breathe and not moving otherwise. Kakashi spared Naruto a glare before he took off with Sasuke in his arms.   
  
Naruto didn’t follow and held out a hand to stop the others from going after them. He knew Sasuke was a dead man; the wound was fatal. Sasuke’s larynx was crushed and he was sure he’d broken his neck. Sasuke was probably dead already; Kakashi was carrying a corpse. Without Sasuke, Kakashi was probably not a huge danger anymore. He’d probably make a run against Konoha and be killed. It was over.  
  
Naruto felt cold. He’d just killed the man he once believed was his best friend. He’d just killed Sasuke. He killed Sasuke. Naruto wouldn’t let the true extent of his pain show, but he looked grave. He’d just killed his best friend. Shikamaru wanted to comfort Naruto, but he knew he could do nothing; he looked a lot like he did the last time Sasuke had left him.   
  
“Let’s go home.”


	19. Seven Years Later

Kaede knew he was in the Bingo Book and had a substantial bounty on his head for assassinating a rich man’s son during a different mission, therefore he wasn’t surprised to be targeted by a bounty hunter. But as a former Konoha shinobi, seeing the famous Copy-nin put more fear in him than any other man could manage.  
  
Kakashi wore his pure black outfit and Itachi’s headband, but didn’t wear his Uchiha fan emblazoned cloak. Kaede let out a small smile; the pain of Sasuke’s death must have made him abandon it.  
  
Kaede feared Kakashi, but was certain he could take the man.   
  
It’d been about seven years since Naruto killed Sasuke. There were still whispers about the Copy-nin lurking around and taking down bounties. He was alone now and far less dangerous without a natural born Sharingan backing him up.   
  
Kaede stopped running. He turned to face Kakashi. They fought for nearly ten minutes, using jutsu and kunai. Kakashi never raised his headband, never used his Sharingan. That was an insult and it pissed Kaede off. Kakashi was taking him lightly not using that damn eye.  
  
Kakashi’s attack with his kunai rebound off Kaede’s sword. Kakashi bounced back and then just stood there when he landed.  
  
“You’re late.”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
Kaede was totally thrown off. But then he felt it. Another presence behind him. He turned and saw the last thing he ever expected to see this side of hell.  
  
“Uchiha Sasuke? But the Hokage said you were dead. He said he killed you, he broke your neck!”  
  
Sasuke wore his Uchiha cloak over his own black shinobi gear. He looked a little older, his face had lines that spoke of illness and worries. But his hair was still the same.   
  
In response to Kaede’s words, Sasuke lifted his chin and pulled down his high collar. Over the left side of Sasuke’s throat was a large scar. It was the last thing the man saw before he died.  
  
\-----  
  
When he saw Sasuke laying on the ground after Naruto’s attack, Kakashi took him in his arms and used the ANBU teleportation technique. It was a short range technique, but he used it again and again in different directions in case they were being followed. He ran, holding Sasuke as carefully as possible, cradling his head against his chest, fearful of his neck injury.  
  
“Breathe, Sasuke, just breathe.”  
  
Kakashi didn’t need to closely examine the injury to know Sasuke’s windpipe was crushed. Sasuke was struggling for breath. His eyes were floating shut.  
  
“Stay awake! You have to breathe, damn it!”  
  
Kakashi made for the home of a doctor who was once a medical-nin. He’d given up being a shinobi because he couldn’t reconcile being a killer and a doctor. It took hours and the sun rose before he got to the house.  
  
Kakashi slipped in through the window. “You have to help him,” he said to the man enjoying his morning.   
  
The doctor got up and quickly took in their injuries. “Put him on that bed.”  
  
Kakashi carefully put Sasuke down. “I know you don’t want outlaws here, but I’ll pay you anything if you can save him,” Kakashi begged.  
  
“I may not like the fact you’re here, but I’ll help you no matter what.” The doctor was gathering instruments as Sasuke forced his chest to expand and suck in any air he could. Luckily, he was stoic by nature and kept from panicking, otherwise he would have never been able to breathe enough and would have passed out if not suffocated.   
  
The doctor grabbed Sasuke’s hand. “Can you squeeze my hand?” Sasuke did.  
  
“His neck is broken, but his spinal cord is still intact.” He moved around to Sasuke’s head. “You’re going to go to sleep. Don’t worry, you will wake up. I promise. If you don’t your friend here will kill me anyway.”  
  
Sasuke blinked slowly to show he understood, afraid to move with a broken neck.  
  
Kakashi came over to give Sasuke’s hand a squeeze and look in his eyes. Then he moved away and let the doctor work. He sat on another bed and watched.  
  
Sasuke was put to sleep and the doctor slipped a tube down his throat to keep his airway open, then he got to work repairing the damage.  
  
Kakashi didn’t move as the doctor worked. His own wounds were crusting and clinging to his clothes.   
  
Finally, the doctor stopped and straightened. “His life is out of danger. He’ll sleep through tomorrow. Now let’s look to your wounds.”  
  
“Don’t worry about me, save your strength for him.”  
  
“Don’t be foolish. Take off your shirt.”  
  
His clothes almost all a loss, Kakashi cut the fabric around his neck to keep his mask on—which made the doctor roll his eyes—and then removed his shirt and vest. The doctor had to help peel the cloth from his wounds. Kakashi kept his eyes on his sleeping lover, a tube still hanging out of his mouth. But his chest was moving. Kakashi didn’t even flinch when his wounds were reopened as the cloth was ripped out.  
  
Weariness overcame Kakashi as the doctor numbed his skin and started stitching. Sasuke was alive, that’s all that mattered. He forced himself to stay awake until his wounds were wrapped, then he let the doctor ease him down to the bed. He wasn’t sure if the night was catching up to him or the doctor had drugged him. Either way, he fell into a deep sleep.  
  
\-----  
  
It was night again. Kakashi sat up with a groan. He looked over at Sasuke and was glad to see he was still breathing.  
  
The doctor brought him some food. “He’s going to have to settle for intravenous sustenance for a while.”  
  
“How is he?”  
  
The doctor checked Sasuke and he was awake, so he addressed Sasuke more than Kakashi. “I’ve set the bones in your neck and jump started the healing of your larynx. You must not get up or move for a few days while the vertebra in your neck mend. After that you’ll have to wear a brace for a few weeks. No fighting, running, or any of that nonsense until you’re fully healed. However, I’m not sure you’ll ever be able to talk again. Otherwise, you’ll make a full recovery.”  
  
Kakashi came over and stroked Sasuke’s hair. “As long as you’re alive. I love you so much.”  
  
Sasuke blinked slowly. Kakashi kissed his forehead.  
  
\-----  
  
After collecting the bounty on Kaede, they traveled north. Sasuke’s hawk let the pair off a mile from the town; they both disliked showy entrances. They walked the mile to the town.  
  
Usually when a pair of black robed, sword barring, outlaw shinobi enter a town, mothers grab their children off the streets or the children know enough to run off by themselves. Everyone normally clears the way, sees to their needs, and prays they leave as quickly as possible. But not this time.  
  
A group of children saw the pair first. They froze, but then they ran to the pair rather than to their mothers. These two fearsome outlaws were mobbed by six children. Sasuke picked up a girl with dark hair and eyes while Kakashi ruffled the hair of a white haired boy.   
  
The children told them they were happy to see them and tried to tell them what’d they done since they were last here. The pair continued on into the town with the herd of children around them. The adults greeted the austere pair warmly as well with respectful “Sasuke-sama” and “Kakashi-sama.” A few women used ‘kun’ rather than ‘sama.’ Mothers called their children off the outlaws and Sasuke let the one girl down. They approached the orphanage.   
  
The pair were both orphans. They had no regrets or sympathy for the orphans of Konoha, but in general they did sympathize with orphans. The money they received from bounty hunting and mercenary work was far too much for them to ever spend since they only took the most dangerous adversaries. Neither were drinkers, wanted women or luxury, nor did they want to pollute their bodies with drugs. They had too much money. So they donated to the orphans they saw themselves in. And fathered a few children of their own.   
  
They were still physically and mentally obsessed with each other, but Sasuke wanted to father a few children to ensure the continuance of his clan especially after the scare of his own near death and neither of them had anything against women. They paid their voluntary child support as well as supporting some of the regional orphanages.  
  
They also tended to take care of the towns in this part of the world they called home. They drifted around, usually living in small bases abandoned by Orochimaru or Akatsuki, but they liked being able to live above ground too.   
  
Inside the orphanage, Sasuke opened the briefcase and took out two stacks of money and gave the rest of the case to the woman who ran the place.  
  
“Thank you so much, Sasuke-sama, Kakashi-sama.”   
  
“As long as they’re raised better than we were,” Kakashi told her.  
  
“Thank you,” she said again.  
  
They went to the inn.  
  
“We’re staying the winter,” Kakashi stated and put the two stacks of cash on the table. “That should cover our room and food.”  
  
“No need, Kakashi-sama,” the innkeeper said. “You’ve saved us from bandits many times without our being able to repay you. You can stay here for free.”  
  
Kakashi considered. He took up the money. “Thank you,” Kakashi said.  
  
They crossed to the stairs to the room they were assigned. Kakashi looked at a man sitting at a table by himself whom he didn’t recognize. The man didn’t look at him as they passed. Sasuke hadn’t looked, but he’d noted the man; he felt the stranger’s attention.  
  
Sasuke sighed and immediately started stripping his gear once they were in their room. He took off his shirt and stroked the scar left by Naruto’s Rasengan. He rolled his neck; it was constantly stiff after Naruto’s attack.   
  
“I don’t think we’ll be disturbed for a few hours,” Kakashi said. “That one downstairs will wait until nightfall at least.” He also stripped his gear and pulled down his mask.  
  
“Konoha.” Sasuke’s voice was a bit gravely.  
  
“We should take a walk outside town to lure him into the woods and we’ll take care of him there.”  
  
“Then we have some time. I should shower.”  
  
“You’re going to have blood all over you in a few hours, so why bother.”  
  
“Hn,” Sasuke agreed and then threw the last of his kit onto a chair near the window.   
  
Kakashi’s eye roamed over Sasuke’s torso. Stripped down to his pants, Sasuke was utterly stunning. Kakashi came up to him and put his hand carefully and gently to Sasuke’s scarred neck. Sasuke tipped his head back and Kakashi kissed him, licking and nipping at his lips. Kakashi pulled away, worried about Sasuke’s neck.  
  
“I’m not that fragile,” Sasuke argued. “It’s been years.”  
  
“Don’t act like you like being treated like a delicate flower every once in a while. Sit.”  
  
Sasuke sat on the bed with his legs spread so Kakashi could kneel before him and resume kissing him. It was a better angle. Kakashi rubbed Sasuke’s thighs and Sasuke threaded his fingers in Kakashi’s hair. Kakashi pressed his body closer and Sasuke moved forward as well. Kakashi’s hands migrated back around to Sasuke’s ass. Sasuke started rolling his hips to rub his cock against Kakashi’s body. Kakashi’s hands moved to Sasuke’s bare back.   
  
Sasuke moaned and pulled away. “Stop. I’ll fuck you later tonight after we kill the spy. I need a nap.”  
  
Kakashi mused Sasuke’s hair. “Get some sleep. I’ll keep watch in case our friend downstairs decides to attack here.”  
  
Sasuke pulled himself up to pillows to lay down. Kakashi watched Sasuke fall asleep. Yeah, it had been several years since Sasuke was attacked, but he didn’t have the stamina he once did nor did he trust his neck. Speaking was an effort as well.   
  
At least he wasn’t getting lost in his own mind like before, searching for Itachi. Seeing his brother brought back with Edo Tensei and being able to tell him that he had a nephew named after him had given Sasuke closure. Neither of them were actively grieving anymore.  
  
He wanted to stoke Sasuke’s hair, but he preferred Sasuke sleep. Instead, he quietly cleaned up, unpacked, and sorted their gear for tonight.  
  
\-----  
  
Kakashi woke Sasuke for dinner. At least Sasuke didn’t snarl at him.  
  
They tried to lure their prey out to the woods once they were fed, but he didn’t follow.   
  
“I don’t think he’s focused on us,” Kakashi said.  
  
“Then what  _is_  he focusing on? We’re fucking S-class criminals.”  
  
The pair concealed their chakra as much as possible and went back to the inn. The man wasn’t there.  
  
“Maybe he just noticed us, but we weren’t his objective,” Kakashi said.  
  
“I don’t think we’re anyone’s objective aside from bounty hunters. We might have to move on, but I want to stay until we have to leave.” Sasuke concentrated and searched for the man’s chakra. “He’s coming this way.”  
  
“Aside from looking for us, why would he be walking around the town at this time of night?”  
  
“There aren’t any brothels here,” Sasuke agreed. “Let’s go back up. He may try to catch us asleep.”  
  
\-----  
  
Nothing happened. Sasuke was disappointed; Kakashi was worried. The man hadn’t left the area, he was there in the dining room of the inn for breakfast. He completely ignored the rouges’ entrance. That alone made Kakashi suspicious.   
  
After the man left the room, Kakashi sat back and Sasuke leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table.   
  
“Maybe we should off him before he can leave and inform Konoha where we are,” Sasuke suggested.  
  
“And that you’re alive.” Kakashi shook his head. “If we kill him, Konoha will respond. And we don’t want to drag this town into it.”  
  
“I don’t want to go underground again just yet.”  
  
“Agreed. He probably knows too much anyway.”  
  
“I can try wiping his memory or change it enough to send him off on the wrong path.”  
  
“Let’s see if we can figure out his purpose and intent.”  
  
Sasuke nodded. “I want to see my children.”  
  
Kakashi smirked.  
  
\-----  
  
Sasuke hardly smiled even while spending time with his own children. They were on the edge of the town, sitting on the grass. Sasuke sat across from one of his few daughters, Mikoto, who looked very much like Sasuke at five, going through hand signs faster and faster until she made a mistake. Two of three of his other children in this town and a handful of other children were watching and trying to keep up as well. Kakashi was showing his own kids, Sasuke’s eldest, and the remaining children some entertaining jutsu.   
  
Even without awakening his Sharingan yet, young Itachi at seven years old was able to replicate Kakashi’s jutsu. He ran over to his father and showed him the small water dragon he copied from Kakashi. He never felt so good as when his father smiled at him, full of pride.  
  
“You’re as talented as your namesake. Even I couldn’t do that at your age.” Itachi swelled with pride. “I’ll have to give you the test my father gave me a little early. Later today though. Make sure you’re rested, you’ll need a lot of chakra.”  
  
Itachi nodded and went back to watch Kakashi, but he didn’t try the jutsu, just watched and mimicked the hand signs.  
  
Sasuke felt the presence of the mystery shinobi, but he was certain the man would not attack while the rouges were surrounded by children, not all their own.   
  
But Sasuke was wrong.  
  
Sasuke sensed the attack with only seconds to spare. Sasuke leaped up to stand between the two groups of children and activated Susanoo. The spectral warrior enveloped them all, repelling the barrage of wind jutsu and weapons. The man made the mistake of glancing at Sasuke’s eyes. The man fell, trapped in a brutal genjutsu.   
  
\-----  
  
Knowing that there were two Konoha shinobi who had betrayed their village at large, the protections around Konoha were changed after Naruto became the new Hokage. Naruto was alerted immediately when the perimeter was breached. He and a large number of ANBU gathered on the top of the rebuilt Hokage tower.  
  
The thing that triggered the alert was a giant hawk. It came straight for the tower. It slowed and landed at the edge of the roof, careful not to look threatening. In its talon was the man who had attacked Sasuke. The hawk released the unconscious man and the man on the hawk’s back slid down. Sasuke.  
  
“Hokage,” Sasuke said. Everyone tensed.   
  
“You’re alive?” Naruto’s voice was trembling.  
  
“Yes. You gravely injured me, but Kakashi got me to a doctor in time. Everyone is always shocked to see me. Adds an element of surprise that works for us.”  
  
“What are you doing here, Sasuke?” Naruto asked, bravely looking Sasuke right in the eyes.  
  
“Returning some trash.” Sasuke gestured to the conscious man. “One of yours, isn’t he? We don’t particularly want to go to war right now, so I didn’t just kill him.”  
  
“Where’s Kakashi?”  
  
“I’m just a shadow clone. We’re together, far from here. I wouldn’t bring or send him here unless I had to because of that.” Sasuke pointed to the carving of Minato. Sasuke’s expression darkened. “How low has Konoha sunk? First you send a child to murder his entire clan and now this? You would attack a group of innocent children to kill two criminals? I warned you, Naruto: do anything like that and we would attack the village and finish what we started seven years ago.”  
  
“Wait,” Naruto said. “What children?”  
  
“Our children. The children Kakashi and I fathered on some local women. This man attacked us while we were doing no more than spending time with our children! Not all of them were even ours! We gave him ample opportunities to attack when there would be no other causalities, but he chose then! If he had harmed even one of them, I would be here with Kakashi razing this fucking village!”  
  
“He was not under any orders to do something like that,” Naruto argued. “There is an outstanding kill order, but no orders like that. He acted on his own.”  
  
“You are fortunate that I believe that.” The shadow clone unsheathed his sword. Though a shadow clone, this sword was capable of killing. The sword point hovered over the unconscious man’s jugular. “What should I do, Hokage?”  
  
Naruto swallowed. “Please, Sasuke, let us deal with him. He will be punished, I promise you.”  
  
“We don’t raise the children, we’ve done nothing to influence the children against Konoha. They are not responsible for our sins. Tell me why I shouldn’t kill someone who attacks my family?”  
  
“I agree, they’re innocent and shouldn’t be harmed on your account. I will decree that no harm is come to them or they answer to me. Just let him live. I will punish him personally.”  
  
Sasuke stared into Naruto’s eyes. “You’ve not been actively hunting us. I will spare his life to ensure the status quo. If ANY harm befalls any of our children or the places they live, we will raze this village. We might even just slaughter the children here to make you feel our pain. Understand?”  
  
Naruto nodded. “I will put out the order not to harm them.”  
  
Sasuke’s clone sheathed his sword with a flourish and the man at his feet woke up. “You are free to try to kill us, but not endanger those around us. And I want him severally punished. Hokage.”  
  
Sasuke and the hawk vanished. Naruto looked to the Hyuuga behind his ANBU mask. He nodded that Sasuke was indeed gone.   
  
“I want every detail from that man. I want to know where they are and what they’re doing. We need to know everything. This is an opportunity to find them and end this once and for all.”


End file.
